It is official, Islamic State-inspired module has finally made forays in the strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir.
It is official, Islamic State-inspired module has finally made forays in the strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir.
For the first time, Jammu and Kashmir police has admitted that a module inspired by dreaded Islamic State is operating in the Valley. Four of its militants including chief commander Dawood Ahmad Sofi were neutralized in a fierce gunfight at Sirigufwara in Anantnag district on Friday.
“Terrorists reportedly affiliated to ISJK (Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir),” tweeted Dr Shesh Paul Vaid, Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir.
Though this is not the first time when Islamic State militants were killed, it is for the first time that Jammu and Kashmir police is openly admitted that ISJK has footprints in the Valley.
Earlier, at least eight ISJK militants have been killed in the Kashmir Valley so far. They include Eesa Fazli of Srinagar, Syed Owais of Kokarnag and Mohammad Toufeeq of Telangana state who were killed in a fierce encounter at Hakoora village of Anantnag district on March 12.
On November 17, 2017 another IS-affiliated militant Mugees Ahmad Mir of Srinagar was killed in Zakura in a retaliatory fire after the militants attacked police naka party killing a police sub inspector. Amaq News Agency of Islamic State had even claimed the attack in Zakura.
“ISIS does not have infrastructure or ranks here. But there is online inspiration. They are inspired by ISIS ideology,” Dr Shesh Paul Vaid said.
Police sources said the militants were initially part of the newly-revived Tehreek-ul-Mujhadeen, an outfit influenced by Salfist (a puritanical Islamist) ideology. The cadres then found refuge in Islamic State apparently getting swayed by the propaganda blitz Krieg unleashed on the social media.
Security forces are now treading a careful path and not dismissing the footprints of Islamic State unlike in the past when they summarily rejected its presence in the Valley.
“We will conduct a thorough investigation and try to find out their cadres, infrastructure, if any. So far we do not see any solid presence of IS though some ultras may have been influenced by its ideology. But now we are bit cautious and cannot dismiss its presence summarily”, said a police officer.India’s security nightmare comes true as Anantnag gun battle confirms Islamic State presence in Kashmir
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