Breaking: Top Hizbul Commander Riyaz Naikoo killed in an encounter in south Kashmir area of Pulwama
Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit”s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016
Pulwama: Top Hizbul Commander Riyaz Naikoo has been killed in an encounter in south Kashmir area of Pulwama reports PTI.
Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit”s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016
Before joining the militant ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school. He was known to have passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun at the age of 33.
Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding the Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group.
Musa split from the Hizbul in 2017 and formed his own group called Ansar Ghazwatul Hind that claimed to be the Indian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda.
Musa was killed in Dadsara area in Tral tehsil in an encounter with the security forces on May 23, 2019