Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, intelligence agencies prepare list of top 10 terrorists active in J&K

Security agencies and the police have prepared a list of 10 most wanted terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir that includes top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, against whom targeted operations will soon be launched to eliminate or arrest them, ahead of Amarnath Yatra, officials said on Tuesday.

The list was prepared following inputs from intelligence agencies, paramilitary forces, the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Naikoo, the chief commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) in the Valley, tops the list as he has been involved in a series of subversive activities leading to casualties among security personnel and civilians, a security official said.

The wanted terrorists include Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) Shopian district commander Wasim Ahmed alias Osama, HM's Anantnag district commander Mohd Ashraf Khan, HM's Baramulla district commander Mehraj-Ud-Din, HM militant operator in Srinagar Saifullah Mir alias Doctor Saif, HM's Pulwama district commander Arshaid-Ul Haq.

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief operational commander in the Valley Hafiz Umar, who is a Pakistani national, North Kashmir divisional commander of terror group Al Badr Javed Mattoo, HM militant Ajaj Ahmed Malik and JeM militant Zahid Sheikh alias Umear Afghani are the other listed terrorists, another official said.

Targeted operations will soon be launched against these 10 terrorists to eliminate or nab them, the official added.

(With PTI inputs)