A scholar identified as Zubair Ahmed Wani, Son of Mohammed Afzal Wani, a Resident of Dehruna Anantnag who joined militant ranks in April 2018 is likely to be replace Saifullah as the top commander of Hizb ul Mujahideen.
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A relative of Zubair had told The Kashmiriyat that Zubair has pursued M.Phil from Dehradun College and was now preparing from teacher examinations, Zubair is survived by 3 Sisters, a Younger Brother (labour by profession) and old-age-parents.
Pertinently top Hizb ul Mujahideen commander, Saifullah had been killed in the encounter that raged in Srinagar district and Forces also said that one militant had been arrested from the site of the gunfight.
Mohammed Ishaq, cousin of Zubair said that Zubair had left for Srinagar to take part in teacher examinations, and a day after his photo while carrying a gun shocked us all.
“We had never thought he will join militant ranks because he didn’t show such inclinations,” he said, adding that they tried to reach him on phone but his phone was put on switched off mode and his joining has left his relatives and friends shocked.
Along with the name of the 31-year-old Zubair Wani, the name of Ashraf Molvi has also surfaced as a possible replacement to the Chief commander of Hizb ul Mujahideen.
Mohammad Ashraf Khan alias Ashraf Molvi is a resident of Tangpawa area in Kokernag area of South Kashmir’s Islamabad (anantnag) district.
Having joined Militant ranks in 2013, after initially working as an over ground worker, Sources suggest that Molvi is likely to be chosen as the operational commander for the valley.
Hailing from a poor family and survived by a mother, Ashraf was a close aide of Bashir Lashkar, top Lashkar commander and his name surfaced on the list of the most wanted Militants in 2018 and 2019.
Mohd Ashraf Khan alias Ashraf Moulvi, is categorized as an A++ Militant and is believed to be more experienced than Saifullah.
The Jammu Kashmir Police chief on Sunday said that the killing of Saifullah has left the Hizb leaderless yet again.
The Government Forces during heightened operation against Militancy in Kashmir has successfully been able to kill all the major commanders of the Militant outfit.
The former chief of Hizb ul Mujahideen, 31-year-old Saifullah Mir had joined the militant movement in 2014. Mir, who was the Hizbul Mujahideen chief, has been reported killed by the forces in an encounter on November 1, 2020, in Srinagar.