Days after the killing of Burhan Wani’s successor Sabzar Bhat by security forces in Kashmir, a video message has been released by toppled Hizbul Mujahideen leader Zakir Musa warning affiliates that those going against him will meet Sabzar’s fate.
“Whoever comes in our way will meet Sabzar Don’s fate. We will continue informing the police against them, and get them killed,” says one of Musa’s associate in the two-minute video.
The video message comes across as a clear indication of the factional war that has erupted in the militant outfit that is fast losing ground in wake of the Army’s heavy offensive against terror.
Hizbul bosses have now appointed tech savvy 29-year-old terrorist Riyaz Naikoo as Sabzar's replacement. Naikoo is seen as being relatively moderate and has been chosen with the hope that he can stop the Hizbul cadre from being attracted to the hardline Islamic ideology of the ISIS.
Given that he is tech savvy, his bosses in Pakistan hope that like Burhan he too will be able to attract youngsters to the terror fold.
However, the local terrorists have refused to accept Riaz Naikoo or Saddam Padder as the new boss of the terror outfit in the Valley.
In its open threat, the Musa faction has claimed that it was they who had tipped off security forces about Sabzar Bhat’s presence in Tral region where he was gunned down last week.
“Whoever comes in Musa’s way will be an enemy of both Musa and Kashmir. We don’t care whether you make Saddam or Riaz as our boss,” said one of Musa’s affiliates in the video message.
