Srinagar: Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has first time spoken and endorsed a militant outfit in Kashmir, with its latest statement to eulogize Ansar Ghazwatul Hind founder Zakir Musa.
The 13-minute long audio statement of AQIS spokesperson Usama Mahmood, was released through its official as-Sahab Media group.
Paying tributes to Musa, he says that every militant in Afghanistan is saddened and mourning the killing of Musa. “We are with our Kashmiris brothers in this time of grief and pray that may Allah accept his martyrdom, may Kashmir have many more Zakir Musas. Also, Muslims in Kashmir and other Muslims should take ahead the mission of Zakir Musa, Burhan Wani and Afzal Guru.”
Musa was killed in an hours-long gunfight with government forces in Dadsara village of sub-district Tral, south Kashmir on the morning of 24 May 2019.
He also added that anyone who dies in fighting for Allah doesn’t die, but continues to live on. “After his martyrdom now more people will follow his path and his message was popular but now his message will reach many more. He was a star, who came from Jammu Kashmir,” he adds.
Comparing him to Al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden, the spokesperson says that he didn’t see the agencies and others ruining the movement of Kashmir. “Zakir Musa learned the ups and downs of Kashmir’s movement and that is why he followed a path of Allah. He was on right path.”
On the same day, Al-Qaeda released another video, revealing details about the journey of another of their allied militant, Faisal Ishfaq Bhatt, who according to the video, joined militancy pursuing jihadist struggle, denouncing nationalism, while he was doing his Bachelors in Science from a local college.
In an alleged video, Faisal says that jihad in Kashmir is no different than jihad in Afghanistan and there is al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent which is counseling Afghan Taliban and also many jihadis in Kashmir.
He further names multiple people including former Hizb commander, Burhan Wani, and Afzal Guru as the true jihadis of Kashmir struggle.
