Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind

Ansar Ghazwat ul-Hind
انصار غزوات الهند
Flag of Ansar Ghazwat ul-Hind
Founder	Zakir Rashid Bhat †
Ameer	Zakir Musa † (2017-19) Hameed Lelhari † (2019) Imtiyaz Shah † (2019-2020) Ghazi Khalid Ibrahim (2020–present)
Spokesperson	Talha Abdul Rahman
Dates of operation	July 2017–Present
Allegiance	Al-Qaeda
Active regions	Jammu and Kashmir
Ideology	Islamic Jihad Ghazwa-e-Hind Separatism
Status	Active
Allies	Taliban Hizbul Mujahideen Lashkar-e-Taiba Jaish-e-Mohammed Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami Al-Badr
Opponents	India
Battles and wars	Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir

Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (Urdu: انصار غزوات الهند‎) is an Al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamist militant group active in Kashmir. The group's stated objective is to impose Sharia law in Jammu and Kashmir and jihad against India.

Background

Zakir Rashid Bhat was an Islamist Kashmiri militant popularly known as Zakir Musa. He was a former field operational commander of Hizbul Mujahedeen. In May 2017, Musa criticized the Hurriyat leaders for calling the Kashmir conflict a political objective rather than a religious one to establish Islamic rule. He warned them not to become a "thorn" in the imposition of Sharia in Kashmir, but after a few hours, Hizbul Mujahideen immediately disassociated itself from Zakir Musa's statement and Zakir Musa in response quit the organization after releasing statements to support his argument that the struggle in Kashmir was not for political purposes. Following Musa's split, Pro-Zakir Musa Kashmiri militants formed a militant faction named Zakir Musa Army 313 to openly support Musa and his "Islamic Rule" ideology. In July 2017 the faction joined Al-Qaeda as Musa was impressed by Al-Qaeda's religious objective of imposing Sharia law in Kashmir and he formed a new cell of Al-Qaeda named Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. In the same month, the Global Islamic Media Front-affiliated Al Hurr media channel of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind claimed that Zakir Musa had been named the head of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a newly created cell of Al-Qaeda. After the killing of militant commander Abu Dujana and Arif Lelhari, a statement purported to be from Musa was released. The statement claimed that Abu Dujana and Arif Lelhari left Lashkar-e-Taiba, had joined Al-Qaeda and helped establish a new cell of Al-Qaeda in Kashmir. Officials stated that the voice in the video matched those of the earlier audio clips by Musa, though the state's DGP S.P. Vaid stated there was no way of authenticating the clips even though there were reports that Dujana and Musa were close at the time. Meanwhile, an audio clip circulated on media that claimed to be the last message from Dujana and Arif during their encounter. Two voices claim allegiance to Al-Qaeda; however, no gunfire is heard and the authenticity of the clip was not proven. Zakir Musa was one of the most wanted militants in Jammu and Kashmir after Burhan Wani with a bounty of 1 million Indian rupees on his head announced by the Government of India. In November 2017 the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind formed an alliance with Hizbul Mujahideen. After the meeting of Riyaz Naikoo with Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, Zakir Musa released an audio tape after a few days of meetings, where he called all Kashmiri Mujahideen groups to unite for Jihad against enemies of Islam, with the goal to achieve freedom from India and enforce a Sharia law-based Islamic revolution in the region. He also warned 'Don't forget Kashmir if Pakistan withdraws its support to Kashmir, the insurgency would be also fought inside Pakistan'. Afterwards, Syed Salahuddin, the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, released a statement threatening the Pakistan Army: 'We are fighting for Kashmiri Muslims in Kashmir and if Pakistan army withdraws its support, the war would be fought inside Pakistan too'.

Objective

In 2017 Al-Qaeda-affiliated Global Islamic Media Front released a video announcing Al Hurr as the channel of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. It also claimed that the group's objective was to impose Sharia law upon Kashmir, also declaring Jihad against India in the process.

Etymology

The group derives its name from the Islamic prophecy of Ghazwa-e-Hind, the ultimate conquest of India. "Ansar" means supporters.

Slogans

Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind claims to have two slogans: the first being "Kashmir Banega Darul Islam" (Kashmir will become Islamic state) and the second being "Sharyiat ya shahadat" (Sharia or martyrdom).

Allegiance to Al-Qaeda

In July 2017, the Global Islamic Media Front Affiliated Al Hurr media Channel of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind claimed that Zakir Musa had been named the head of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind under the allegiance to Al-Qaeda.

Activities, affiliation, and foreign fighters

Activities and affiliation

On 7 December 2017, the group released a statement that condemned United States President Donald Trump's declaration of moving the United States embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

On 25 December 2017, in a video of a Kashmiri militant declaring allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and declaring a new ISIL Province in Kashmir, the fighter called on Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind to ally with or give allegiance to ISIL and wage Jihad in Kashmir against the Indian government but the group declined.

In February 2018, the group released a video of Zakir Musa calling on Indian Muslims to attack Indian army patrols and checkpoints as well as companies interested in investing in India.

In April 2018, the group published material that encouraged Muslims across India and Kashmir to carry out lone wolf attacks.

On 21 November 2019, the group released an audio tape condemning the Indian court ruling on the Babri Masjid. The group urged Muslims to retaliate against the decision.

On 6 January 2020, the group released a video audio tape message to Muslims of Kashmir and India by Talha Abdul Rahman the Spokesperson of group condemning the 2020 Delhi riots by Hindu nationalists against the Indian Muslims in Dehli. The group urged Muslims to United against Hindutva ideology and he called Muslims to join the Jihad against the enemies of Islam.

On 18 January 2022, the group claimed responsibility for the attempted bomb attack in Ghazipur, Dehli the group also claimed that the our targets are pro-Hindutva Hindu nationalists in revenge for the 2020 Delhi riots against the Indian Muslims in Dehli by Hindu nationalists.

On 11 December 2022, the group claimed responsibility of russian-made RPG attack in Punjab on Tarn Taran Police station. The group said that they had fired a rocket from the Amritsar-Bathinda Highway. Earlier on Saturday, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a Khalistani Insurgent militant organisation, claimed responsibility for the attack. The indian authorities has named this attack as Pakistani agenda for preparation of more attacks on Punjab, India Neighbouring nation wants to bleed India with thousand cuts, says Punjab DGP.

Foreign fighters

The Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind also have large number of foreign fighters In Kashmir from Pakistan & Afghanistan were called to join the holy war against the India.

Operations against Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind

On 21 December 2018, the group's deputy leader Soliha Mohammad Akhoon, also known as Rehaan Khan, was killed in an encounter with 42 Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF along with five other militants.

On 24 May 2019, Indian security forces killed Zakir Musa in an encounter in Tral region of Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces had to blast a chemist's house where Musa was hiding. The owner was sent in for negotiation to surrender, but Musa declined. At Zakir Musa's funeral, thousands of people attended Zakir Musa's funeral, and there were protests by supporters or people who mourned the death of the militant.

On 22 October 2019, Indian security forces killed Hameed Lehari in an encounter in Awantipora, Jammu and Kashmir. He was the second leader of the organisation.

Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, said that the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind has been "wiped out of Kashmir" on 23 October 2019.

On 22 April 2020, four militants of the group were killed in Shopian district's Melhora village during an encounter with Indian Army's 55 Rashtriya Rifles and the CRPF. Two over-ground workers of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind had been captured in Pulwama district on 22 May.

On 29 April 2020, Group's deputy chief Burhan Koka was killed in an encounter in Shopian's Melhora area along with 2 other associates.

On 9 April 2021, Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, said that the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind has been "wiped out of Kashmir" for a second time, after 7 militants including its chief were killed in an encounter.

On 11 July 2021, Prashant Kumar, ADG Law and Order, UP, said, “ATS UP has uncovered a big militant module. The team has arrested two militant linked with al-Qaeda's Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.”

On 14 June 2022, Jammu and Kashmir Police said Abdullah Abbas Ghazi Bhat, also known as Abdullah Ghazi, was a main militant of Islamist militant group Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda linked group. Police said he was reportedly had been killed with two Hizbul militants by Indian security forces during a search operation on 11 June.He had been fighting alongside Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Kulgam he was killed in a gunfight in the town of Kulgam the two Indian security forces also killed and five injured during the clash. The fighting was so intense that it partially security forces destroyed his home. On 14 June a few days after his death, four Indian army soldiers were killed and the main leading member of search operation Ashkan Kumar a Jammu and Kashmir Police senior officer also murdered outside his home in what was believed to have been a reprisal for Abdullah's death.

See also

• Hizbul Mujahideen
• Ghazwa-e-Hind
• Lashkar-e-Taiba
• Jaish-e-Mohammed
• Taliban
• Osama bin Laden