Strange tale of ‘Zakir Musa’ Al Qaeda’s chief in Kashmir

In the summer of 2017, Zakir Musa, the Hizbul Mujahideen’s 23 year old commander, broke ranks with Kashmir’s most influential insurgent group to establish the Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind. Few had heard of the fledgling new outfit, but the Ansar’s parent organisation was instantly recognisable — Al Qaeda. Yet the news, which ought to have rung alarm bells in the Indian security establishment, passed largely unremarked upon. In the 18 months since it was formed, the Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind is yet to be associated with a single encounter with Indian security forces. Yet…

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