JOIN USAfter the killing of its leader Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen is likely to make one of its oldest surviving militants, Riyaz Naikoo, the new commander in Kashmir.
Naikoo alias Zubair is considered a moderate among the hardline Hizbul militants, and a few months ago had said his organisation was willing to welcome Kashmiri Pandits back to the Valley.
In a 11-minute video address, Naikoo had said, “We will welcome them (Kashmiri Pandits) warmly. There is always a place in our hearts for them. They are a part of our nation. We are their protectors, not their enemies.”
According to sources, the Hizbul may nominate him as the new chief to counter the narrative that militants in Kashmir were fighting for the caliphate and imposition of Sharia.
“The Hizbul leadership in Pakistan is under tremendous pressure from ISI, especially after commander Zakir Musa recently spoke about establishing an Islamic caliphate in the Valley. By appointing Naikoo as the new chief, the outfit could kill two birds with one stone. He can sideline Musa due to his stature in the terror outfit and Hizbul can also prove that it is not fighting for Islamic rule in Kashmir,” a source said.
Unlike Sabzar, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Tral area on Saturday, Naikoo is tech savvy, and Hizbul can use his abilities to galvanise support for militancy through social media campaigns, the source added.
Naikoo is rated among the A++ category militants who carry a reward of Rs 12 lakh on their heads.
A native of Durbug in Awantipora, Naikoo is said to have escaped from the trap laid down by security forces several times over the past three years. Last week, he was cornered in Pulwama district, but he escaped. According to police records, Naikoo, after his release from detention under the Public Safety Act in 2014, rejoined militancy.