Srinagar: Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant outfit on Thursday has claimed the responsibility of the Shopian attack in which two army men including a Major were killed and another soldier seriously injured.
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen was founded by Muhammad Ahsan Dar in September 1989, and is a Kashmiri anti-India resistance and designated Islamic militant group. It is designated a terrorist organisation by India, active in the state of Jammu and Kashmir since 1989. The current commander of the group is a Sayeed Salahudeen.
Holding an Islamic and pro-Pakistan ideology, the group is considered to be the largest indigenous militant group in Kashmir. In 1990 Muhammad Ahsan Dar had more than 10,000 armed men under his command
Burhan-ud-din, a spokesperson of the outfit, told news agency CNS that the attack was carried out near Zaipora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
“The valiant militants of our outfit laid an ambush and attacked an army party from all sides. Five Indian soldiers were killed and many others were injured. The militants managed to reach at their destinations safely after the daring attack,” he said.
He said that Hizb commander Mehmood Ghaznavi has decided to reward the militants for carrying out the attack.
“Such attacks will continue across Kashmir valley,” he said.
Two militants were killed in a brief shootout with the Indian Armed Forces in Kulgam district of south Kashmir late Wednesday night.
The slain militants have been identified as Aaqib Itoo of Gopalpora, and Suhail Ahmad Rather of Yaripora Kulgam, both of them belonging to the militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.
Two army men of the Indian Armed Forces, including an officer, were killed while another soldier was injured after militants ambushed an army patrol party in Shopian district of south Kashmir early Thursday.
An Army Major and a soldier were killed and another were injured in a gunfight between government forces and militants in Zaipora, Matribugh village of Shopian district in south Kashmir on Thursday.
