The fresh military offensive against the militants across Kashmir is aimed at destroying the leadership and organizing capabilities of the militants, a hit list prepared by the security agencies suggests. DawoodSalfi, who was killed along with four associates in an encounter at Srigufwara on Friday, is among the list of 21 top guns from HizbulMujhahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad and AnsarGazwatul Hind.
The list, prepared jointly by various security agencies, contains the names of 11 HizbulMujahideen militants, seven from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, two from the Jaish-e-Mohammed, one from the AnsarGhazwatul-Hind and Dawood. These militants have been listed under different categories- from A++ (being the highest) to A+, A and B. An A++ category militant is considered first on the hit list released by the security agencies.
Security agencies believe all 21 from the hit list have organizational capabilities. “Our focus is to track down organizers and commanders,” a senior police official told Greater Kashmir adding, “That will help us contain the militancy in south Kashmir.”
Altaf Ahmad Dar, also known as AltafKachroo, a resident of Hawoora, Kulgam is an A++ militant. He had joined the outfit in 2006 and is the HizbulMujahideen divisional commander in south Kashmir. He had been arrested in the past for his association with militancy, according to reports. He was released and he later joined militancy.
Four from the six A++ category, Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo (chief operational commander in the Kashmir Valley), Altaf Ahmad Dar (division commander in south Kashmir), Umar MajeedGanai (a resident of Hawoora, Kulgam) and Zeenat-ul-Islam (Sugan, Shopian) are from HizbulMujahideen.
The other two are Mustaq Ahmad Mir (ChakCholan, Shopian) from LeT and AGH commander Zakir Rashid Bhat (Tral).
Three of the LeT militants on the hit list are from Pakistan – Abu Muslim, Abu Zargam and Mohammed NaveedJad – all of them in the A+ category. While the first two operate in the Hajan area, the third is active in Pulwama, the list maintains.
The others from Hizb are Mohammad Ashraf Khan (Kokernag, Anantnag), Mohammad Abbas Sheikh (Kaimuh, Kulgam), Saifullah Mir (Malangpur, Pulwama), Latif Ahmad Dar (Dogirpur, Awantipur), Umar Fayaz Lone (Tral, Awantipur), MananWani (an AMU research scholar from Kupwara) and Junaid Ashraf Sehrai (son of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chief Ashraf Sehrai).
The LeT names are Azad Ahmad Maslik (Malikpura, Anantnag), Shakoor Ahmad Dar (Tengpora, Kulgam) and Riyaz Ahmad Dar (Sethargun, Pulwama). The two from JeM are Zahid Ahmad Wani (Karimabad, Pulwama) and Mudasir Ahmad Khan (Midpur, Awantipora).