Militant Commander Qayoom Najar killed in Uri encounter
Army on Tuesday claimed to have killed one of the longest surviving militant Qayoom Najar in north Kashmir’s Uri area. Najar was returning back to Kashmir after he had ex-filtrated to Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PaK) in 2015.
Reports said that army men spotted some movement near the Zoravar Post area of Lachipora Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Tuesday morning. Upon challenging the intruder, he fired upon the troops who retaliated killing him during the short encounter, an army official said.
The army authorities handed over the dead body to the police who identified him as Abdul Qayoom Najar @ Jasahib @ Ishfaq S/O Abdul Rashid Najar R/O Mumkak Batpora Sopore. Najar was an active militant since 1999.
Reportedly, Najar had ex-filtrated to Pakistan in 2015 and was returning back to take command of Hizbul Mujahideen as its commander in North Kashmir.
The killed commander was dispatched by United Jehad Council (UJC), commander Syed Salah-u-din to revive the Hizb ul Mujahideen whose commanders of North Kashmir Pervaiz Wani @ Mubashir of South Kashmir and Yasin Yatoo got killed recently.
His return was also necessitated because of wiping out of HM from North Kashmir, police sources added.
According to the police officials, Najar was involved in dozens of killings of civilians, Police and Security forces personnel.
“He baptized in militancy after killing of then HM’s Former Chief Commander Abdul Majid Dar who had entered into dialogue process with Government of India in year 2000,” said a senior police official, not wishing to be named.
The killed militant was also involved in number of IED blasts carried out by HM in North Kashmir in Sopore, Pattan, Handwara and Baramulla, the official added.
Pertinently, Najar briefly fell out with HM and the Separatist Hurriyat leadership in 2015 when he orchestrated multiple attacks on mobile towers and killing of some civilian activists affiliated with the Hurriyat.
He was recalled to base camp in Muzaffarabad, PaK to sort out the differences, sources said.
KV Correspondent
