Hizbul Mujahideen chief among 3 militants shot dead in J&K

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, May 6

Three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including the chief operational commander of the outfit, were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir today. The police said the slain militants were planning to target the annual Amarnath Yatra.

Muhammad Ashraf Khan (57), alias Moulvi, was gunned down by a joint team of the Army, police and the CRPF in a forest area of Pahalgam in Anantnag district. Based on inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Srichand Top forest area in Pahalgam, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation, a police official said. The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired at the security forces. In retaliation, three terrorists were killed, the official said.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said Moulvi, an A terrorist, was the oldest surviving militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen. The other two militants have been identified as Roshan Zameer Tantry and Rafiq Ahmad Drangay of Bijbehara. Moulvi became the operational chief of Hizbul Mujahideen after the killing of Riyaz Naikoo on May 6, 2020. He has been active since September 6, 2016.

The police said all three slain militants had been involved in several attacks on security forces and civilians. Their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter.

As per police records, Moulvi figured in the list of most wanted militants. He was well trained in planting IEDs. In 1999, he crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for arms training. He was also instrumental in reviving militancy in Anantnag by recruiting youth.

A terrorist

• Ashraf Khan (57), alias Moulvi, figured in the list of most wanted militants
• Moulvi became Hizb operational chief after killing of Riyaz Naikoo in 2020
• Trained in planting IEDs; went to PoK for training in 1999