J&K : Security forces release hit list of 21 most-wanted terrorists

J&K : Security forces release hit list of 21 most-wanted terrorists

Days after the Centre revoked the month-long suspension of anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir , Sucurityforces release hit list of 21 most-wanted terrorists.

The list includes 11 terrorists from terror outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, seven from Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), two from Jaish-e-Mohammed, one belonging to Ansar Ghazwat ul-Hind and a lone terrorist linked to ISJK, who was killed by security forces on June 22, 2018.

“The focus of intelligence-gathering and counter-insurgency operations is mainly on these 21 terrorists, six of whom are placed in the highest category of ‘A++’ based on the number of people they have killed, their control over areas, their propaganda impact and longevity,” said a source.

“If these 21 can be eliminated, matters will considerably cool down and throw the terrorists’ ranks into disarray… it takes time for the next set of terror leadership to come up and establish itself. Once a terrorist is categorized as A++, carrying a reward of Rs 12 lakh, his days are generally numbered, the reverse count for his elimination begins,” he added.

The six A++ terrorists in the list comprise four from Hizb – Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo (chief operational commander in the Kashmir Valley), Altaf Ahmad Dar (division commander in south Kashmir), Umar Majeed Ganai (a resident of Hawoora, Kulgam) and Zeenat-ul-Islam (Sugan, Shopian). The other two are Mustaq Ahmad Mir (Chak Cholan, Shopian) from LeT and AGH commander Zakir Rashid Bhat (Tral).

Three of the LeT terrorists on the hit list are from Pakistan – Abu Muslim, Abu Zargam and Mohammed Naveed Jad – all of them in the A+ category. While the first two operate in the Hajan area, the third is active in Pulwama.

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The others from Hizb are Mohammad Ashraf Khan (Kokernag, Anantnag), Mohammad Abbas Sheikh (Kaimuh, Kulgam), Saifullah Mir (Malangpur, Pulwama), Latif Ahmad Dar (Dogirpur, Awantipur), Umar Fayaz Lone (Tral, Awantipur), Manan Wani (an AMU research scholar from Kupwara) and Junaid Ashraf Sehrai (son of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chief Ashraf Sehrai). The LeT names are Azad Ahmad Maslik (Malikpura, Anantnag), Shakoor Ahmad Dar (Tengpora, Kulgam) and Riyaz Ahmad Dar (Sethargun, Pulwama). The two from JeM are Zahid Ahmad Wani (Karimabad, Pulwama) and Mudasir Ahmad Khan (Midpur, Awantipur).