Musa's al-Qaeda linked terror group calls for pan-India jihad
India has been grappling with handling violence fuelled Pakistan-based terror groups. Ansar Ghazwat-Ul-Hind, a Kashmir-based group linked to al-Qaeda has now called for a pan-India jihad. Raising alarm for security officials, the group has further indicated that it intends to target the security officials and that the fight won't be limited to man-made borders. Let's see what this could mean!
Who is Zakir Musa?
Zakir Musa is one of the most notorious Kashmiri terrorists, known to provoke the youth to pick up arms. He was earlier named the successor of late Burhan Wani, who was shot by Indian forces in 2016. Zakir Musa had left his BTech course in Chandigarh to join militancy. He posted his first video in August 2016 and asked people to unite.
What context is this happening in?
Ansar Ghazwat-Ul-Hind declared Zakir Musa as its chief last month; Musa had recently quit Hizbul Mujahideen due to ideological differences. Intelligence agencies believe that the organization has made significant headway in Kashmir since Musa becoming chief; according to a review, Musa has even made inroads into former Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's hometown, Tral. Musa and his followers are also promoting ISIS ideology.
What does the statement say?
According to the statement, the group's main objective is to target Indian security forces who are oppressing Muslims in India. The statement further rejects non-Islamic practices including idol worship, polytheism and democracy.
What does this mean?
Intelligence officials fear that Musa may use the connections he has in other parts of India to gather support. They might not be able to make an impact in Kashmir but its objectives say that they want to spread across India. "This cannot be taken lightly and we are watching their activities and identifying links outside the state," noted an official source.
