Hizbul's new chief among army’s top 10 most wanted militants in Kashmir

After the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Riyaz Naikoo last week, security agencies in Kashmir have identified the top 10 terrorists operating in the Valley. The list includes the militants from the Hizbul, Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

Sources told Deccan Herald that the Army has released a list of its top ten targets which includes 26-year-old Saifullah Mir aka Ghazi Haider, who was nominated as new chief by the Hizbul last week. Mir, who also goes by ‘Doctor Saif’ code name because he treated injured militants, was recruited by Naikoo in 2014 and came on the radar of security agencies in 2017.

The second militant in the list is 29-year-old Junaid Sehrai, son of Ashraf Sehrai, chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and successor of hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani. Junaid, an MBA pass-out from Kashmir University, joined Hizbul in March 2018.

The other militants in the list include Mohammad Ashraf Khan aka Ashraf Molvi who joined militancy in September 2016, Mohammad Abbas Sheikh aka Turabi Molvi, active since March 2015 both affiliated with the Hizbul, Zahid alias Omar Afghani, who joined the Jaish in late 2014.

Besides these, Faisal Bhai, a Jaish militant active since 2015, Sheraz Lone aka Molvi, Saleem Paray, Owais Mullick and Shakoor, all affiliated with the LeT are the other militants in the top ten list.

Terrorists are listed under different categories - from A++ (being the highest) to A+, A and B. An A++ category terrorist is first on the hit list of security forces.

Security forces have already eliminated 64 militants this year in 27 anti-insurgency operations while 125 over-ground-workers (OGWs) of militants have been arrested. Last year 152 militants were killed in J&K against over 250 in 2018.

But what is keeping the security establishment worried is a large number of battle-hardened Pakistani militants, who may have infiltrated into Kashmir since the beginning of April.

However, recruitment of locals into the militancy has dwindled since last year and according to police, the killing of Naikoo will further dent the morale of ultras in the Valley as he was the brain behind the recruitment of local boys into the militancy in the last three years.