Five days after an anti-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara claimed the lives of five security personnel including a decorated officer, the Pakistan-based terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen, headed by Syed Salahuddin, has claimed the responsibility, a report by news agency ANI said.
A video clip has been shared by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, which shows Syed Salahudeen addressing a thin gathering somewhere in Pakistan on the recent counter-insurgency operations carried out by its terrorists in Handwara.
"It's a shock (Riyaz Naikoo's killing) for all of us but these sacrifices have been going on in Kashmir since long," the video shows him, speaking in Urdu.
He also claims responsibility of the recent encounter between terrorists and security forces in Handwara and admits that Indian Army has the upper hand. "Mujahideens broke the back of enemy (Indian Army) in Handwara Rajwara but the enemy has an upper hand," he stated in thee 52-second long clip.
Since January, 80 Mujahideens (terrorists) have been neutralised by Indian forces, the tells the gathering.
Salahudeen's statement on Kashmir comes just a few days after the elimination of top Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo and his close aide Adil Ahmed by Jammu and Kashmir Police and 21 RR troops.
On May 3, the operation in Handwara in Kupwara district claimed lives of Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh and Lance Naik Dinesh, all from the Brigade of the Guards regiment, and at present part of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles and deployed to counter terrorism in the hinterland. A Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector, Sageer Ahmad Pathan alias Qazi, was also martyred.
