JOIN USHizbul chief Ghazi Haider killed in Srinagar encounter
In a huge setback to militancy in Kashmir, chief commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit Saifullah Mir aka Ghazi Haider was killed in an encounter with security forces in Rangreth area on the outskirts of Srinagar city on Sunday.
30-year-old Saifullah, who had taken command of the indigenous outfit after the killing of Riyaz Naikoo on May 6 this year, was one of the most wanted militants in the Valley and was involved in several attacks on the security forces, police said. His selection to lead the Hizbul had been declared by Saleem Hashmi, the outfit’s Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) based spokesperson on May 11.
Inspector General Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar while confirming the killing said that a suspect was also arrested at the encounter site, who is being questioned.
Talking to reporters, Kumar said that on the basis of a specific lead, joint teams of police and CRPF laid a cordon at Rangreth area and later the army also joined in the operation. Terming the killing a big success, police said they are waiting for the family members of Hizbul chief to identify the body.
Saifullah, son of a government school teacher, with three brothers and a younger sister, had studied till class 10 before earning a diploma in medical electronics from the Industrial Training Institute in Pulwama in 2010.
Saifullah, who hailed from Malangpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, was recruited by Naikoo in 2014 and came on the radar of security agencies in 2017. He had also figured in one of the group pictures of Burhan Wani and his associates that went viral on social media in 2015 and was the last surviving militant from the group.
He was also known by the code name “Doctor Saif” because he treated injured militants. Saifullah was the fourth operational chief of the Hizbul from Pulwama since 22-year-old Burhan was killed on July 8, 2016, triggering a six-month long unrest that left over 100 protesters dead and thousands injured. After Burhan’s killing, Sabzar Bhat had taken over as chief of the Hizbul. Bhat was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama on May 27, 2017.
“Saifullah maintained a low profile, both before and after becoming the chief, and he was in contrast to his predecessors who were more active in using social media to further their goals,” a senior police officer told DH.
After Saifullah’s killing, the officer said, either Mohammad Ashraf Khan alias Ashraf Molvi or Zubair Wani will take over as new chief of the Hizbul. “Molvi is among the senior-most militant commanders in Kashmir, while Wani, who joined militant ranks in April 2018, is expert in targeting political workers and security forces. He has a Masters in Philosophy (M Phil) degree to his credit,” he added.
Formed in 1989, the Hizbul is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir. The outfit is led by Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin, who is based in the PoK.