Incidents involving Hizb-ul-Mujahideen

2010

January 10: Two top militants of the HM, including a ‘deputy divisional commander’, were killed by the SFs after an encounter at Thanola in the Arnas area of Reasi District in the afternoon. The slain militants were identified as Irfan Mushtaq alias Command (call sign 17), a ‘deputy divisional commander’ of HM and a resident of Lar in Gulabgarh and Ibrar alias Abu Ubaida (call sign 04), a resident of Thanola. An Army Subedar and a Special Police Officer (SPO) were injured in the operation while two civilians, who had been taken hostage by the militants, were safely rescued. Recoveries made from the possession of slain militants included one new type of foldable rifle of AK series with 60 rounds, one AK-47 rifle with 41 rounds, one mobile telephone, a UBGL and a Chinese grenade, one I Com radio set, one solar charger and INR 50,000 in cash.

2009

January 9: The Police raided a house in Basantgarh belt of Udhampur District in the night and arrested a HM militant, Abdul Noorani alias Haider.

December 30: Militants shot dead four CRPF personnel in Sopore area of Baramulla District. Official sources said that militants opened indiscriminate firing on a group of CRPF personnel who were part of a road opening party on Sopore-Bandipora road at Janwari, resulting in critical injuries to all the four CRPF personnel present at the spot. All of them succumbed to injuries. HM claimed responsibility for the attack.

December 25: The Police arrested two militants of the LeT and HM outfits from Dhara village in Thanna Mandi area of Rajouri District. One of the arrested militant was working as a co-ordinator between the LeT and HM outfits and was in constant touch with several top ‘commanders’ of the two groups, official sources said. They were identified as Abdul Salam (17), son of Abdul Rashid, a resident of Dhara, Thanna Mandi and Mohammad Rafiq alias Papa Lohar (45), son of Faiz Baksh, a resident of Khanyal Kot. While Salam was affiliated to the HM, Papa Lohar was working for the LeT. Police recovered a high range wireless set, two wireless set antennas, 17 pairs of Dura cell chargers, a number of incriminating documents including letter heads of LeT and HM outfit and a medical kit from the possession of Abdul Salam. Some more recoveries were expected from the two arrested militants during their further interrogation.

December 22: The Police arrested three militants of the HM outfit during an operation in Srinagar. "Srinagar Police has arrested three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen from Srinagar and recovered one AK 47 rifle and two grenades from their possession," a Police spokesman said. He said the three militants were identified as Rafiq Magray alias Aadil, Mohammad Ramzan alias Ibrahim and Iqbal Haroon alias Muzaffar. Sources said the militants were arrested from Nowgam after Police had been on their trail for the past nearly two months.

December 16: Terrorists killed a 20-year-old girl in cold blood in Shopian District. The attack was unusual in the sense that it wasn’t a typical terror strike; the militants barged into the house of one Mohammed Maqbool Mir and, after asking the family members to identify themselves, turned their automatic weapons on his daughter, Sheeraza Akhtar. She was shot in the abdomen and below her chin and died in her father’s arms. The Police said a group of four Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists were responsible for the murder.

December 15: A militant belonging to the HM was arrested by the by Police and Rashtriya Rifles during search operation at Fruit Mandi Parimpora in Srinagar. The Pakistan-trained militant was identified as Feroz Ahmad Rather, son of Abdul Jabar, resident of Khambayar in Pattan area of Baramulla District. Rather had exfiltrated to PoK in 2000 and after undergoing arms training, the HM militant had returned recently. One pistol, one magazine and two Chinese grenades were recovered from his possession.

December 14: Two top HM militants, including a ‘district commander’, were killed by Security Forces (SFs) at Amrai forests in Chilli area of Gandoh in Doda District. Two other militants managed to escape. One of the slain militant, Tariq Hussain Khandey alias Idrees alias Mama son of Bashir Ahmed, a resident of Chilli, Gandoh was a ‘district commander’ of HM. Mama was second longest surviving militant in Doda District. He was active in the militancy since 1998. Other slain militant was identified as Yasir Ahmed Kantroo alias Mubassir alias Owais. He was active since 2003. Two AK-56 rifles and four magazines were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

December 2: Troops of Rashtriya Rifles (44th Battalion) arrested a militant of the HM from the Keller area of Shopian District. One pistol, two magazines and 12 rounds were recovered from the possession of the militant, who has been identified as Jehangir Ahmad Malik.

November 28: A group of three to four militants of HM is reported to have been trapped in an encounter with the Security Forces (SF) at Lidrari village in the Dachchan area of Kishtwar District since the morning. Official sources said the operation was launched on the basis of specific information that a group of three to four HM militants led by their ‘commander’ Firdous had been camping in a dhok at Lidrari in Dachchan.

November 26: Two local HM militants were shot dead by Police in an encounter at Krandi Dhar in Dessa area of Doda District while another militant managed to escape in the early morning. Two weapons including one SLR and a .303 gun, snatched from Police, were recovered from the possession of slain militants. The slain militants were identified as Mohammad Rafi alias Usmaan son of Ghulam Mustafa, a resident of Beli, Arnora and Qasim Din alias Babbar son of Gulabu Gujjar resident of Laloor, Doda. Rafi’s brother, Mohammad Hanief, is in Pakistan since 2000 while his another brother, Zafarullah, was killed few week back after he had joined HM. Zafarullah had deserted Territorial Army to join militancy. The duo were generally operating in Dessa but were called to other areas only on requirement by the militant commanders. They belonged to Shaheen Group of the HM and were involved in a series of subversive activities.

November 16: A ‘battalion commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, identified as Abdul Rehman Gorsi alias Aqibul Islam, was shot dead during an encounter with the SFs at Sangarwani village in the Pulwama District of south Kashmir. Police officials said an AK rifle and its ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

November 12: Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel arrested five cadres of two militant outfits, including the brother of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's (HM) surrendered militant Bashir Lohar and a private ration dealer, during raids carried out at Manwas, Kud Dhar and Doda town in the Doda District. The ration dealer was arrested from outside the District Police Headquarters, Doda when he was carrying out recee of the vital installation. The arrested militants belonged to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and HM outfits, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP, Doda), Parbhat Singh, said. The SSP said Bashir Ahmed, a resident of Kutch Dhar in Doda, was arrested from outside the District Police Headquarters, housing among others the SSP office, when he was carrying out recee of the Headquarters for the HM. Bashir is working as a private ration dealer in Kutch Dhar.

November 6: Police neutralised a terrorist module in the Doda District by arresting six militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit, who were active in Doda and Bhaderwah for past several years and were involved in major subversive activities. Official sources said about a dozen special teams of Doda Police camped in the upper reaches of Doda and Bhaderwah for more than a month following reports that the HM has revived itself in some areas with a plan to carry out fresh attacks. All six militants, who were part of the module, were arrested by Police from different parts of Doda and Bhaderwah after several days of search operations in the remote and hilly areas of Doda and Bhaderwah. They have been identified as Mansoor Ahmed alias Munna Ganai, a resident of Tharra Mohalla in Bhaderwah, Irshad Ahmed, a resident of Nalthi in Bhaderwah, Mohammad Hanief Malik, a resident of Khangna Koti in Doda, Billal Ahmed alias Baldev, a resident of Puneja in Bhaderwah, Mudassir Ahmed, a resident of Kai Mohalla in Bhaderwah and Zakir Hussain, a resident of Pul Doda. Billal Ahmed and Mudassir Ahmed were reportedly involved in killings of civilians besides grenade attacks and IED blasts while Zakir Hussain was wanted in a number of subversive activities. Three other militants were engaged in collection of funds besides giving information to the militants about troop movement. They had also been giving shelter to the militants in their houses.

November 1: Militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) shot dead Head Constable Manzoor Ahmad and Constable Abdul Qadeer at Qamarwari Chowk in the capital Srinagar, a Police spokesman said. Both the Policemen were shot in the head, the spokesman said. The HM claimed responsibility for the attack saying it was part of its Operation Al-qisaas and such attacks on the SF personnel will continue. A senior Police official said the attack was carried out by modules of militants which had come into the city from Pulwama and Sopore areas. Ahead of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's recent two-day visit to the State, the Union Home Ministry had reportedly alerted the State of possible attacks by the HM to avenge the killing of ‘divisional commander’ of the outfit, Saquib, during an encounter in Pulwama District last week.

October 26: The SFs shot dead three top militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit, including a ‘divisional commander’, during an encounter in the Shopian District of south Kashmir. The Army, Police and Central Reserve Police Force launched a joint operation in the forests of Shalidar in the Keller area of Shopian following receipt of information about the presence of militants in the area. Officials sources said in the ensuing encounter, three HM militants were killed and a cache of arms, ammunition and war-like stores were recovered from the hideout. The slain militants have been identified as ‘divisional commander’ for Pir Panjal Range, Saquib, and his two close associates Riyaz Poswal and Ishfaq Ahmad alias Adnan. Two AK-56 rifles, one AK-74 rifle, 14 magazines of AK rifles, a satellite phone, one Pistol, three mobile sets, one radio set and 278 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the incident site. Saquib, believed to be a Pakistani national, was instrumental in coordinating subversive activities with other militant groups like the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the officials said. He was also behind several attacks on the SFs and civilians in south Kashmir in the recent times.

The Police arrested three over-ground workers of the HM outfit during a search operation in the Bagla forest area under the jurisdiction of Kandi Police Station in Rajouri District. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Shafkat Wattali, identified the three as Mohammad Tariq, Mohammad Anwar, both residents of Dhar Sekri, and Gulzar Ahmed, a resident of Deri.

October 25: The Mahore Police and troops of Rashtriya Rifles (61^st Battalion) arrested a top HM militant from Bradchilli Nullah in the Reasi District. He has been identified as Tali Hussain alias Abu Kalimullah a resident of Saar Daga in Mahore. The arrested militant was reportedly in contact with two Pakistani militants - Abu Ibrahim and Abu Zabran - for whom a search operation has been launched by the Army and Police.

October 21: The Army and Police killed three top militants, including a ‘divisional commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit at Daggan Top on the Mahore-Gool border in Reasi District. Three hardcore HM militants, involved in a series of subversive activities in the Mahore-Gool-Gulabgarh belt of Reasi and Ramban Districts, were killed in an operation carried out by troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and Mahore Police, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Udhampur-Reasi range), Gulzar Singh Slathia, said. The slain militants were identified as ‘divisional commander’ Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat alias Maqsood, Mohammad Rafiq alias Murshad and Mohammad Arshad alias Tahir. Official sources said a noted woman militant, identified as Suraiya Begum, the wife of Maqsood, remained untraced. Sources said Suraiya was the daughter of Moosa Khan, a retired Zonal Education Officer, a resident of Lancha in Gool. Recoveries made from the possession of slain militants include two AK rifles with six magazines and 125 rounds, one Chinese pistol with 18 rounds, one wireless set, four hand grenades, 13 kg RDX, one detonator, one solar charge, two identity cards, four mobile telephones with as many SIM cards, five mobile batteries and two mobile chargers.

October 11: A 'section commander' of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), identified as Liaquat Ali alias Junaid, who was trapped inside a house by the SFs at Ziddan village in the Doda District in the night of October 10, was shot dead in the morning of October 11. Liaquat Ali, a resident of Laloor in Doda, had forcibly entered the house of Noor Din Bhat at Ziddan after being chased by the SFs in a forest area. According to sources, the militant had exhausted one of his AK-56 magazines in the night while firing on SFs. Junaid was an 'A' category militant of the HM and was active in militancy since October 20, 2006. He was involved in a number of subversive activities including killing, kidnappings and extortions in different parts of Doda district. One AK-56 rifle with three magazines, one pouch and some documents were recovered from his possession.

October 9: SFs shot dead a Pakistani militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in the Pulwama District, hours before he was to carry out a suicide attack on a sensitive installation in the summer capital Srinagar. The Pakistani militant, identified as Abu Mu'awiya, reportedly had plans to carry out a fidayeen (suicide squad) attack in Srinagar city and made all the preparations for executing his plans, officials said. One AK rifle, two AK magazines, 16 rounds of AK ammunition, 30 Kg explosive material, one 12V battery, two hand grenades, one Nokia mobile and one pouch were recovered from the slain militant.

October 7: A Defence Ministry spokesman said in capital Srinagar that Security Forces killed a 'district commander' of the HM, Abdul Majeed Bhat, at Trikanjan Top near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector. One AK rifle and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militant.

October 6: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) 'district commander' was killed along with his associate in an encounter with the SFs at Dumlu Top in the Udhampur District. A third associate of the militants, however, managed to escape from the incident site. The Deputy Inspector General of Police (Udhampur-Reasi range), Gulzar Singh Slathia, said the civilians had earlier informed the SFs about the movement of three militants at Dumlu Top in Sudh Mahadev hills, bordering the Marmat area of Doda District. The militants, who had converted a natural cave into a hideout after fleeing from Marmat due to increasing pressure of the SFs and Doda Police, reportedly approached two to three houses for blankets and some eatables. The people obliged the militants but simultaneously informed the troops about their movement in Dumlu Top. The slain militant has been identified as Javed Iqbal alias Matin Ahmed alias Mohammad Usama, a resident of Marmat in Doda District. Matin was stated to be a Post Graduate in Science but had joined militancy on being persuaded by Javed Qureshi, a former 'divisional commander' of the HM. He was involved in a series of subversive activities in Doda since April 2008, including the recent killing of two Special Police Officers - Abdul Gani and Riaz Ahmed - in Marmat on September 3, 2009. Recoveries made from the slain militant include one AK-47 rifle with one magazine and 10 rounds, one wireless set and a binocular.

September 29: SFs arrested two HM militants soon after they alighted from the Gorakhpur Express at Jammu Railway Station in the afternoon. The militants, hailing from Kashmir valley, had taken the aerial route to reach Kathmandu (Nepal) from Islamabad (Pakistan) and then entered Uttar Pradesh from Nepal to reach Jammu in a train. The Senior Superintendent of Police (Jammu), Basant Rath, said the militants had been deputed to Jammu from Pakistan by HM leadership to strengthen their outfit and network in the city. The arrestees were identified as Abdul Jabbar Khan and Shamim Ahmed Sheikh. Police recovered USD 2700, a Pakistani National Identity Card, four Pakistan International Airlines boarding cards from Islamabad to Kathmandu and four mobile telephones, including the one carrying a Pakistani SIM card.

September 24: Two top 'commanders' of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Manzoor Ahmad alias Saddam Hussain and Bashir Ahmad alias Rashid, both residents of Neoch Badr in the Reasi District, were shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at Damhal Hanjipora in the Kulgam District. The SFs launched a search operation in the area following receipt of information about the presence of militants in the area, officials said. As the SFs were closing in on the area where militants were hiding, they came under firing but there were no casualties in the initial salvo fired by the extremists. Defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel J. S. Brar said two militants were killed in the ensuing gun battle.

Police arrested a 'financial adviser' of the HM in connection with INR 1.07 crore worth looting incident in Jammu and Kashmir Bank's main branch at Kishtwar town on the intervening night of July 7 and 8. A total amount of INR 40.11 lakh has been recovered so far with the arrest of the militant and his three associates, who have already been arrested. Police sources said during sustained questioning of three accused, arrested by Kishtwar Police in connection with the dacoity, a Police team arrested HM's 'financial adviser', identified as Zahoor Hussain Kamal, a resident of Kamal Mohalla in Kishtwar.

September 23: Four militants, including one 'District Commander' of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) each, an Army Major and a Marine commando were killed during two separate encounters in the Baramulla and Bandipora Districts, taking the death toll in the two-day encounter to eight.

In the encounter at Banyari village in Bandipora District which started in the evening of September 22 and ended at 5pm on September 23, the Army killed HM 'District Commander' Pasha and the LeT 'District Commander' Moosa. Army Major, G. S. Suri, and a trooper, Khushal, were killed when they sustained bullet injuries during the initial firing from militants as they entered a house where the militants were hiding. Pasha, a foreign militant, was active in the area for the last more than 10 years and was considered to be the driving force behind many attacks on the SFs and political workers. Moosa, who was working in close coordination with the HM militants recently, was also wanted by the SFs for the last couple of years.

September 17: Police arrested the wife of HM 'divisional commander' of Chenab Valley along with her body-guard from upper reaches of Sudh Mahadev in Udhampur District when the duo were heading towards Marmat to supply hawala money, mobile telephones and SIM cards to the commander and other associates of the outfit. Shamima Begum, the wife of Javed Qureshi, HM's 'divisional commander' for Chenab Valley, presently operating from Marmat in Kishtwar District, was arrested by Police along with her body guard Shamim Ahmed, both residents of Marmat. Shamima was herself working as a HM militant on the instructions of her husband. Despite being pregnant, she had been deputed by the militants to collect hawala money, mobile telephones and SIM cards from over ground network of militants in Chenani. They had also been tasked to spread outfit's network in Chenani, Sudh Mahadev and Latti areas, which had a trekking route to Marmat.

September 15: The Police arrested three HM militants working for Amin Bhat, involved in the killing of a civilian, Ghulam Ahmed Chowhan, in his house at Sigdi Bhata in the Kishtwar District. The arrested militants were identified as Abdul Gani Chopan, Munir Hussain Khatana and Noor Din Khatana, all residents of Sigdi Bhata. Police sources said the militants were arrested after confirmed inputs that they were working as Over Ground Workers for Amin Bhat for past few months. They were instrumental in supplying ration and transporting ammunition for Amin Bhat from one place to another. Amin Bhat had earlier surrendered as a militant only to resume his activities few months back by snatching AK rifle and ammunition from a Special Police Officer.

September 13: A civilian, the father of a surrendered militant, made a attempt to capture two militants alive in his house in the night but was shot dead after a half-an-hour long clash with the militants at Sigdi Bhatta in the Kishtwar District. The victim was identified as Ghulam Ahmed Chowhan, father of Saifullah alias Raqeeb, a surrendered militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). According to official sources, two militants, identified as Amin Bhat and Nissar Ahmed, both of whom had re-joined militancy after their surrender, came to the house of Ghulam Ahmed Chowhan. Amin Bhat had snatched an AK-47 rifle and 60 rounds from a surrendered militant turned Special Police Officer Iqbal Kabli about a couple of months back and fled to the forests. Amin is reported to have used the same AK-47 rifle in the killing of Chowhan.

September 5: SFs shot dead a militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit, who was allegedly involved in the killing of two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers in a shoot out in the capital Srinagar earlier this week, during an encounter in the Pattan area of Baramulla District. "Police and Army killed one Hizbul Mujahideen militant at Poshwani in Pattan area of Baramulla district," a Police spokesman said. The slain militant has been identified as Shamim Sada alias Rizwan, a resident of Sada Mohalla in Pattan. Initial investigation has revealed that he was involved in the killing of the CRPF troopers earlier this week. Shamim Sada was arrested by SFs in 2006 and had been released some time back after being detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for nearly two years. Official sources said he was "recycled" into militancy three months ago when he was motivated back into subversive activities by a top commander of the outfit.

September 1: Yet another infiltration attempt, backed by Pakistan troops, was made by a group of Pakistani militants from the Line of Control (LoC) at Sagra village in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district in the early hours. An Army trooper is reported to have died in the firing from across the LoC. "It was being ascertained as to whether the bullet was fired by Pakistan army or the militants trying to sneak-in. The bullet was fired from a sniper rifle which was available with top commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen militants", official sources told Daily Excelsior.

August 25: SFs arrested two HM militants and recovered arms and explosives at Tengpora bypass in the outskirts of Pulwama town. The duo was identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Lone alias Irfan, a resident of Nadihal in Bandipora District, and Showkat Ahmad Sheikh alias Haaris, a resident of Pattan in Baramulla District. Two pistols, two pistol magazines, 12 rounds and two grenades were recovered from their possession.

A HM militant escaped from Police custody from a hotel at Batote in Ramban District but was re-arrested by the Police from Chanderkoot in the evening. Official sources said Tariq Ahmed, a resident of Yaripora in Kulgam, was being shifted from Kulgam to Kathua District prison after his court attendance. During night, four Policemen accompanying the militant decided to have a night halt at Hotel Hill View in Batote. At 2 am (IST), the militant managed to escape but was re-arrested later.

Police rearrested Gazi Misbahuddin alias Nisar Ahmad, the former chief commander of the HM, nearly a week after he was granted bail by a court and handed over to his lawyers. There were reports that Misbahuddin, a close aide of HM chief Syed Salahuddin, had given the Police a slip while he was being taken to a court in Anantnag. Misbahuddin was re-arrested by Police on August 25 after a massive operation was launched in different areas of south Kashmir. Gazi was operations chief of the HM.

August 23: Police arrested three HM militants hailing from Kulgam District and recovered from their possession INR 120000 worth hawala money which they were smuggling from capital Srinagar to Gool in the Ramban District. Superintendent of Police Mubassir Latifi said the hawala money was meant for HM ‘divisional commander’ Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat alias Maqsood Bhat, presently operating in the Gool-Gulabgarh belt. The three militants were identified as Aijaz Ahmed Wani, Mohammad Yusuf, both residents of village Danow in Kulgam District, and Javed Ahmed Malik, a resident of Damhal Hanjipora in Kulgam.

August 19: Two top commanders of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit were killed while their two associates escaped in an encounter with troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and Police at village Kushaal in the Kishtwar District. Haseeb Mughal, the Superintendent of Police in Kishtwar, said SFs launched a search operation at Kushaal in the early hours after developing specific information that four hardcore HM militants had been hiding in the area. The militants include ‘district commander’ Shaheen Parvez, Shakoor Ahmed alias Zubair of Ramban, Bashir Ahmed alias Javed of Laloor in Doda and Manzoor Wani of Kishtwar. In the resultant encounter, two militants were killed while two others managed to escape taking cover of the grown up crop and a hostile weather. Bodies of the two slain militants have been recovered from the spot. One of them has been identified as Manzoor Wani while the other one could either by Shakoor Ahmed or Bashir Ahmed, Police sources said. Recoveries made from the incident site include one AK-47 rifle, two grenades, one binocular, two mobile telephones, three SIM cards, three AK magazines and a pouch.

August 18: A Special Police Officer SPO was killed in an encounter with the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants at Marmat in the Doda District.

August 14: Army personnel shot dead four top ranking militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) in an encounter at Kund forests under Mahore Police Station in the Reasi District. Senior Superintendent of Police, Anand Jain, said Army personnel launched a search operation in Kund forests at 4.30pm (IST) soon after developing specific information that four top HM militants had taken shelter in the area. The slain militants were identified the as Shabir Ahmed Chopan alias Tufail, Nazir Ahmed Sheikh alias Nassir, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din alias Mudassir and Abdul Rashid. Tufail and Nassir besides a HM commander Janbaaz, who was killed last month, were involved in the killing of three members of a family, including a newly wedded boy Aiyaz Ahmed, his father Ahmed Din and mother-in-law Taj Begum on May 8, 2009 just a day after the marriage of Aiyaz with Taj Begum's daughter. The bride-groom and his family members were killed as the boy had married a girl against the wishes of a HM militant. Two AK rifles, one pistol, four grenades, four AK magazines, one pistol magazine, 67 AK rounds, 23 pistol rounds, two I-Com wireless sets, five mobile telephones with SIM cards (two of whom were suspected to be Pakistani phones), INR 4000 in cash, one binocular, two solar panel with batteries and four pouches were recovered from the possession of slain militants.

August 9: A Territorial Army trooper was shot at and seriously injured by two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, identified as Chota Hafiz and Rizwan, at village Pethgaon in the Navapachi area of Kishtwar District. He was identified as Ishtiyaq Ahmed, a resident of Pethgaon. Reports said two over-ground workers of the HM, Ashiq Hussain and Ghulam Mohammad, were reported to have motivated Rizwan and Chota Hafiz for the attack on Ishtiyaq Ahmed. Police have detained Ashiq Hussain while Ghulam Mohammad was absconding.

August 7: A Police spokesman said SFs arrested one over-ground worker of the HM, identified as Irshad Rather, from Peth Seer Sopore in Baramulla District. Five Chinese grenades, INR 50,000 cash, a cheque worth INR 50,000, one Nokia mobile phone, two photographs and list of mobile phone numbers were recovered from him, the spokesman said.

August 6: Two suspected Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants, who were allegedly planning terror attacks in the national capital ahead of Independence Day on August 15, were arrested in the night, a senior Delhi Police official said. Javed Ahmed and Ashiq Ali were arrested by Delhi Police's Special Cell from central Delhi's Daryaganj area when they were traveling in a car. "We caught them from Mahavir parking area," Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P. N. Agarwal said. "We had Intelligence inputs about the movement of these militants and we tracked them," the officer said. He said two AK-47 rifles, about 100 cartridges and two grenades were also recovered from the militants, who were in their early 30s. Asked about their nationality, the official said they appeared to be Indians, PTI reported.

August 5: A ‘section commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, identified as Noor Mohammad alias Noora alias Mansoor, was shot dead by the Police at village Chalot in the Marmat area of Doda District early in the morning. He was reportedly instrumental in the killing of five civilians at village Bari in 2008 besides a number of subversive activities, Senior Superintendent of Police Parbhat Singh said. One AK rifle, one wireless set and three magazines were recovered from the slain militant.

August 2: Cracking a financial network of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu Police arrested Asrar-ul-Haq, the 'financial manager' of the outfit's 'divisional commander', from the Gujjar Nagar area along with INR 300000 hawala money. Several fake identity cards including those of Lab Assistant, Bhaderwah campus of Jammu University and cameraman, Press Jammu Classifieds were also recovered from the possession of Asrar, the sources said. However, the financier of the outfit, who delivered the money to Asrar-ul-Haq, managed to escape from the area well before the arrival of the Police. The preliminary questioning of Asrar-ul-Haq revealed that he was deputed by HM's divisional commander in Doda, Shah Din Khandey a.k.a. Shah, to collect hawala money from a financier of the outfit in Jammu.

July 27: Police recovered a consignment of explosives and ammunition from village Khour in the Reasi District. A hideout of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit was neutralized in the operation. Senior Superintendent of Police Anand Jain said a Police team carried out searches in Khour forests on specific information about a major HM hideout which was being used by the outfit for shelter. Recoveries made from the hideout include four grenades, detonators, one UBGL shell, 130 rounds of AK-47, batteries, charges and some explosive material used in making IEDs.

July 21: The bullet ridden body of a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant was recovered from the Shahdar Dessa area of Doda District. An official spokesman said that troops of the Rashtriya Rifles recovered the body of Ghulam Hassan alias Gulzar, a resident of Bata Dessa. He was reportedly active since 1997 and might have been killed by his own associates on July 17, the spokesman said.

July 19: A youth, who was working as a ‘police source’ was shot dead by three militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit in his residence at Chilli in the Doda District. He has been identified as Abdul Hamid (26), a resident of Chilli. Reports said three HM militants, identified as ‘divisional commander’ Shah Din Khanday, ‘tehsil commander’ Tariq Ahmed and ‘district commander’ Ghulam Nabi alias Gama struck at Chilli at 9.30 pm and shot dead Abdul Hamid in his house. Reports said Hamid was a source of the Police and had got top HM militant Javed Jatt killed a year ago. He was also instrumental in three-four other successful operations.

July 17: Two top militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), including a ‘commander’, were killed and their female associate was injured and subsequently arrested after an encounter in the house of a contractor at village Dahrot in the Doda District. The slain militants were identified as Issaq, a resident of Kalihand, and Sartaj alias Doctor Sohail, a resident of Shail Malna. Sohail was an ‘A’ category militant and was involved in a series of subversive activities in the Doda and Kishtwar Districts since the last three years. Issaq had reportedly joined militancy about a year back. Recoveries made from their possession include one AK-56 rifle, one pistol, magazines and rounds of AK and pistol and some grenades. House of the contractor, Mohammad Sharief Naik, was gutted in the fire that followed the gun-battle. The woman militant, identified as Shakeela, wife of slain Hizb ‘district commander’ Haq Nawaz and daughter of Naik, has been arrested by Police, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Parbhat Singh, said. The SSP said Security Forces had developed a very specific input that even after the killing of her husband Haq Nawaz, Shakeela continued to work for the HM.

July 14: A top ‘commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) was shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at village Kanthi in the Gulabgarh area of Reasi District. However, his body-guard reportedly managed to escape. A woman was, however, caught in the exchange of firing between militants and SFs and was injured. Slain militant Bashir Ahmed alias Janbaaz, a resident of Baransal in Mahore, was involved in a series of subversive activities in parts of Gool-Gulabgarh-Mahore for the last seven years. His latest victims were three members of a family who were killed by his group at Baransal following the refusal of parents of a girl to marry their daughter to a HM militant. Senior Superintendent of Police Anand Jain said one AK-56 rifle with three magazines and 80 cartridges, one rocket shell, four pencil cells, one purse and one pouch were recovered from the slain militant.

July 4: Police arrested two HM militants at Budgam and Pulwama Districts of the Kashmir valley. In a search operation at village Wuyan in the Pulwama District, identified as Zahoor Ahmad Bhat alias Junaid, a Pakistan trained militant of the HM outfit, was arrested, a Police spokesman said in Srinagar. The spokesman also said one Chinese pistol, one pistol magazine, six pistol rounds and three hand grenades were recovered from his possession. In another operation, the Budgam District Police arrested another HM militant, identified as Abdul Rahman Bhat alias Javed, at Mirgund crossing. One pistol, one magazine and six pistol rounds were recovered from his possession, he added.

July 3: A surrendered militant and a former deputy village chief were killed and another civilian was seriously injured in an attack at village Tandar in the Sounder area of Kishtwar District by four militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit. Official sources said four militants, three of whom were later identified by their code names as Dawood, Wasim and Prince, entered Tandar, located in the remote heights of Sounder and first intruded into the houses of Nazir Ahmad Kar, a former deputy village chief, and dragged him out at gunpoint in front of his family members. They took him to a nearby field and slit his throat leading to his death on the spot. Subsequently, the militants moved to the shop-cum-residence of Tariq Hussain and asked about the whereabouts of his nephew Abdul Majeed. As both Tariq Hussain and Abdul Majeed were present in the same house, one of the militants opened fire on them outside their shop-cum-residence. Presuming them as dead, all four militants escaped from the village. While Majeed succumbed to his injuries, Tariq Hussain was admitted to a hospital. Sources said Abdul Majeed was a top militant of the Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami (HuJI) till 2007 when he switched over to the HM and worked with his killers Dawood, Wasim and Prince besides the now dead Mohammed Usmaan Qari. However, he surrendered before Security Forces (SFs) in May 2008 and since then was running a shop. All the three had been charged by the militants for working as sources of the SFs and Police.

July 1: Police recovered the body of a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant, who was believed to be killed in a group clash, in Kulgam District. SFs recovered the body of Mohammad Rafiq Gujjar alias Abu Dujjan from Chatternad forest area. Gujjar had been killed in a group clash between militants, a Police spokesman said in Srinagar.

June 21: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant was shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at Lower Seel in the Bharat area of Doda District. Two militants escaped during the gun-battle. The slain militant has been identified as Mohammed Issaq Khan (code name Naseer-ul-Islam), a resident of Kulhand in Doda. Issaq Khan was reportedly an active militant of the HM for last six months. From his possession, Police recovered one rifle, a magazine and some ammunition.

June 19: A day ahead of Vice President Hamid Ansari''s visit to Kashmir, a former militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) was killed while two of his accomplices were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) they had allegedly fabricated exploded in the Lal Bazaar area of capital Srinagar. Firdous Ali Dar, a resident of the nearby Alasteng area, was blown up when the IED he had allegedly put together went off at a house at Bhagati Shoora in Lal Bazaar area. The house owner, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, and another former HM militant, Ghulam Mohammad Ganaie, were injured in the blast. Three grenades, one IED, 100 rounds of AK 47, one mobile phone and some burnt Indian currency notes were recovered from the spot. The Police also recovered large quantity of crackers from the incident site. Official sources said Dar and Ganaie, who were considered to be experts in making of explosives during their active time in subversive activities, might have been persuaded by militants back to militancy. After surrendering, the deceased militant had reportedly taken up a job as an electrician in the Kashmir University, where Vice President Hamid Ansari is scheduled to attend the 17th Convocation of the varsity.

June 14: Militants shot dead a former colleague in the Gutlibagh area of Ganderbal District. A Police spokesman said in capital Srinagar that unidentified militants intruded into the house of Showkat Ahmad Khan alias Shoqeen and shot at him from close range. Khan, a released militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit, is reported to have died on the spot.

June 8: SFs recovered one Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher from a hideout of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’ Ghulam Hussain alias Kari in the Kharepokhun forests of Doda District. Kari was shot dead by the troops in an encounter on May 26.

June 5: Three hardcore militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfits were killed by the SFs during an encounter on June 5 at Mandrala under the jurisdiction of Gandoh Police Station on the Doda-Himachal Pradesh border. Senior Superintendent of Police Parbhat Singh said a joint team of Police and Army launched a search operation after securing specific information that three commanders of LeT and HM outfits were hiding in village Mandrala for the past few days. "It would have been difficult to trace the militants had they slipped into the territory of Himachal Pradesh", Singh said, adding that SFs surrounded the hideout before asking them to surrender. However, all three militants opened heavy firing on the troops and tried to break their cordon to escape. In the ensuing encounter, the troops killed the three militants who have been identified as Zafarullah, Shabir Ahmed and Nazir Ahmed. Official sources said Zafarullah and Nazir were section and area commanders respectively of the HM outfit while Shabir Ahmed was deputy district commander of the LeT. Recoveries made from the incident site include one sniper rifle with telescope, its two magazines and 19 rounds, one AK rifle with one magazine and 9 rounds, three grenades, detonators, wire, explosive devices, identity cards, letter heads of HM and LeT outfits besides some incriminating documents of the two outfits and personal belongings of the militants.

June 3: SFs neutralized a hideout of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in Mahakund forests of Poonch District and recovered a large quantity of explosive devices and ammunition. The recoveries included three kilograms of RDX, six Chinese hand grenades, three Indian grenades, 38 detonators, one RPG with buster, two UBGLs, one pistol with magazine, one Icon radio set, one Alinco radio set, two meters fuse wire, one binocular, two kg sulphur, nine kg explosive powder, 199 rounds of F 7.62 LMG, 31 AK ammunition and two IED boxes. However, no arrests were made from the spot.

May 30: A suspected cadre of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen was arrested by the SFs from Doda District. A joint team of Rashtriya Rifles and State Police arrested Nissar Dhar, who had allegedly been working for the militant outfit, from periphery of Doda town in the evening, the spokesman added.

May 29: Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants surrendered before the Police in Kulgam District after long stays in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) where they had gone to receive arms training. Sabzar Ahmad alias Sarwar, a resident of Vessu in the Qazigund area of Anantnag District, and Abdul Hamid alias Abbas, a resident of Kaddar in Kulgam District, surrendered before Police in Kulgam, official sources said. They said the militants had returned a few days ago from PoK via Nepal.

May 28: Police arrested a HM militant from Janbazpora in the Baramulla District. The arrested militant has been identified as Fayaz Ahmad Dar alias Fahadullah, a resident of Krengsoo Mattan in Anantnag District, a Police spokesman said.

May 26: Three militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit were killed while two others managed to escape in two major encounters in the Doda and Kishtwar Districts. Bodies of two militants were recovered while a search operation was underway to trace the body of third slain militant, official sources said in Srinagar.

May 22: Troops from the Rashtriya Rifles and Police arrested an 'A' category militant of the HM outfit, identified as Khalid alias Sohail alias Toufeel, from Sopore in the Baramulla District. One pistol, one magazine and five rounds were recovered from his possession. On his disclosure, the Security Forces conducted a raid in the Badamibadh area and arrested an over-ground worker of the HM, identified as Mohammed Sayeed. From the hideout, a laptop, several electronic gadgets and fake stamps were recovered.

May 21: Police killed a 'battalion commander' belonging to the banned Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit during an encounter with militants at village Guddar in the Kulgam District. The slain militant has been identified as Ahmad Din alias Wasim, a resident of Shivras Gool Gulab Garh in Reasi, a Police spokesman said. One AK 47 rifle, four AK magazines, 98 AK rounds, one Chinese pistol, two pistol magazines, eight pistol rounds, one satellite phone and one wireless set were recovered from his possession, he added.

May 19: A HM militant was arrested in Anantnag District and arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession. A Police spokesman said in capital Srinagar that Tariq Ahmad Beigh was arrested from an orchard land between Matibugh and Parigam Payeen along with one AK 47 rifle, two magazines, 40 rounds of AK 47 ammunition and two hand grenades.

Two top HM militants surrendered before the Army and Police along with arms and ammunition in Kishtwar town. They have been identified as Younus Gujjar, a resident of Polar and Javed Iqbal, a resident of Bunjwa, Kishtwar. Younus was a ‘section commander’ while Iqbal was an ‘area commander’ and were reportedly active in the Doda and Kishtwar Districts for last couple of years and were involved in a series of subversive activities. At the time of surrender, the militants handed over two rifles, three magazines, five grenades and some other items.

May 12: A young girl was killed in cross-firing between militants and Security Forces (SFs) in the remote Suroo forests in Kishtwar District in which two top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commanders’ were injured and the third one was believed dead while another militant escaped. Police initially maintained that the slain girl was a militant, but later described her as an ‘A’ category Over Ground Worker of militants in the evening but late in the night it gave her ‘benefit of doubt’ after which civil administration released INR 100000 ex-gratia in her favour. The Inspector General of Police, K. Rajendera, said 23-year old Amina Bano, a resident of village Kanow, who was killed in the encounter, has been given ‘benefit of doubt’ as "we have nothing on record to prove her as a militant though police have reports of her militant links". Rajendera said: "police had reports about the presence of four top Hizbul Mujahideen militants including Ishaq Bhat and Shahdin Khandey in Suroo forests. It was on the basis of this information that an operation was launched in the forests." In the exchange of firing, all four militants were injured, sources said, adding that Bhat and Khandey had taken shelter somewhere along Suroo in an injured condition while their third unidentified associate was believed to have been killed. The fourth militant managed to escape. Police recovered AK and SLR magazines, 12 cartridges, three identity cards, including the one issued on the name of a student of Government Degree College Sopore, blankets, rations, religious books and "jehadi" literature from the incident site.

May 8: The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants shot dead three persons including, one woman, at Bandara village in the Gulabgarh area of Reasi District. Official sources said four HM militants led by Ishfaq Ahmed appeared at the house of Aijaz Ahmed at 10.30 pm (IST) and dragged him and his father, Ahmed Din out of the house. They took the duo to nearby house of Aijaz Ahmed's in-laws and brought out his mother-in-law, Taja Begum. They shot dead all three civilians and managed to escape.

A civilian was shot dead in an exchange of firing between militants and SFs at village Salota in the Marmat area of Doda District. Reports said Security Forces and Police had launched a search operation for a 'divisional commander' of the HM, Javed Qureshi, in Salota area of Marmat after getting information about his presence. However, a civilian was caught in the exchange of firing and was killed. He was identified as Mohd Sadiq Wani, a resident of Salota. Javed Qureshi and his associates managed to escape during the exchange of firing.

May 7: SFs killed two top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) commanders while their third associate managed to escape during an encounter at Ghai in the Doda District. An operation was on to neutralize the fleeing militant, who has been injured in the encounter. The slain militants have been identified as Farooq Padar and Sadiq Rather with intercepts revealing that both were commander level militants of the HM outfit and were operating in the upper reaches of Doda District for the last several years. They were reportedly involved in a series of subversive activities across the Doda and Kishtwar Districts. The absconding militant has been identified as Ghulam Hassan. From the possession of the slain militants, SFs recovered two rifles, three magazines, seven rounds, one mobile telephone, two SIM cards, two pouches and some incriminating documents. Few personal belongings of the militants were also found in the hideout which was destroyed in the operation.

May 4: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) commander, identified as Dawood Bhat, was shot dead by Police at Kilotran in the Doda District. However, the body-guard of the militant managed to escape from the spot along with weapons. A fake identity card with stamp of civil authorities of Anantnag District was recovered from his possession. Police said Dawood Bhat had left Doda for Pakistan for advanced training in weaponry and handling of sophisticated explosives in 1998. He was known with the name of Shahbaaz in 1998. However, on his return to Doda from Pakistan he had been given the name of 'Captain' Masood. Dawood Bhat had come back to Doda only a week ago and had been assigned the task of stepping up militant activities by HM commanders in Pakistan.

April 30: Police arrested two over-ground workers of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen at Awantipora in Pulwama District. The duo was identified as Mohammad Ashraf Mir and Mehraj-ud-Din Dar. A Police spokesman said two hand grenades were recovered from their possession.

April 28: A top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant was shot dead by the Police in an encounter at Dera Top in the Doda District while a search operation was on to arrest his two associates. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Parbhat Singh, said 11 Police personnel from Doda were deputed to Marmat three days back after receiving information about the presence of three HM militants in a hideout. A contact with the militants was established at 1.45 pm on April 28 and after a fierce exchange of gun-battle, an 'A' category militant, identified as Mohammed Yusuf Zarar alias Haq Nawaz alias Wasim, a resident of Marmat, was killed. One AK-47 rifle, two magazines, eight SIM cards and one pouch were recovered from the slain militant.

April 20: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper were killed and four Security Force (SF) personnel sustained injuries in a three-hour long gun-battle in the Pattan area of Baramulla District. The slain militant was identified as Abdul Rashid Baigh, a resident of Ganastan in Sumbal. One CRPF trooper, Amit Kumar Tyagi, also died in the encounter while four SF personnel were wounded. Official sources said Baigh had recently returned from across the Line of Control after receiving training in handling of arms and ammunition.

March 31: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant, Abdul Qayoom Wani alias Saifullah Tirazy, surrendered before the Police at Miran Sahib in Jammu along with an AK rifle and some ammunition.

March 28: Two HM militants, identified as Ashaq Hussan Tali alias Imran and Abdul Qayoom, were arrested by SFs from Pattan area of Baramulla District. Two HM militants were arrested at Palhalan in Pattan area during a search operation near Palhalan Mode, a Police spokesman said. One AK 56 rifle, two AK magazines, 60 AK rounds, one pistol and one pistol magazine were recovered from their possession.

March 27: Three HM militants were arrested from the Pattan area of Baramulla District. They have been identified as Parveez Ahmad Wani, Irfan Ahmad Rather and Mudasir Ahmad Wani. Two Pistols, two Pistol magazines, ten rounds of ammunition and a Pakistani passport bearing the name of Parveez Ahmad Wani were recovered from their possession.

SFs arrested an over-ground worker of the HM from Matibugh area of Kulgam district. Identified as Rouf Ahmad Rather, four UBGL grenades were recovered from his possession.

March 26: Police arrested Nazir Ahmed, a militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit, from Mahore in the Reasi District.

The Kulgam District Police and Rashtriya Rifles soldiers arrested one over-ground worker of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen from Munnad. Identified as Mohammad Ashraf Khan, 25 AK rounds and 850 grams of black powder explosive were recovered from his possession.

March 24: Police arrested a HM militant, identified as Zaid Ahmed Dar alias Mubassir, from Jewel Chowk soon after he reached Jammu from Srinagar to revive the base of militants.

An over-ground worker of the HM, identified as Ateeq Ullah Dar, was arrested in Jammu when he was purchasing combat dresses for the militants. He was reportedly purchasing items for Ghulam Nabi alias Javed, a district commander of the HM. Sources said Ateeq’s brother Irfan Hussain alias Harun, a HM militant, was killed in an encounter with the SFs in 2006.

March 22: Police arrested three HM militants in Anantnag District, a Police spokesman said in Srinagar. Police arrested three HM militants, identified as Abid Hussain Ganai, Ashiq Hussain Shah and Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, from Rakh-e-Arwani area in Anantnag.

March 19: An active militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, identified as Dilawar Gegi alias Danish, was arrested by Police at Kangan in the Ganderbal District. Following the arrest, one AK series rifle, four AK magazines and other arms and ammunition were recovered from a hideout in the Akhal forest area, a Police spokesman said.

March 12: The SFs arrested one over-ground worker of the Hizb, identified as Manzoor Ahmad Mir, from his residence at Qasbiyar in the Rajpora area of Pulwama District, a Police spokesman said in capital Srinagar. Two letter pads were recovered from his possession.

In another operation, troops arrested one person affiliated with the HM at Andergam village in the Pattan area of Baramulla District. Identifying the arrested person as Abdul Majid Parray, the Police spokesman said 60 AK-47 rounds, two Chinese grenades, one Chinese pistol and one pistol magazine were recovered from his possession.

March 9: SFs shot dead two militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit in Battas-Dharam area under the jurisdiction of Gool Police Station in Ramban District. An official spokesman said that another militant, believed to be a foreigner, managed to escape from the incident site under the cover of darkness. The slain militants have been identified as Abdul Majid, a resident of Asthan, and Mohammed Altaf, a resident of Bhimdessa Gool. From the encounter site, the troops also recovered one 303 rifle with magazine, two 303 cartridges, one pouch, one Sniper gun with magazine, half kilograms of RDX and some grenades. The spokesman said that the 303 gun recovered from the encounter site was looted by the militants from Ind Police Post.

February 9: Police arrested Muzaffar Ahmad Dar, the 'chief operations commander' of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit, from a locality near Kashmir University in the Hazratbal area of capital Srinagar. "J&K Police has achieved a major success in its drive in anti-terrorist operations with the arrest of Hizbul Mujahideen chief operations commander Muzaffar Ahmad Dar from Sadrabal area of the city near Kashmir University," the Inspector General of Police (Kashmir), B. Srinivas, told reporters at a press conference. Srinivas said Dar, who was operating under various aliases like Gaznavi, Mohammad Ali and ''One Nine'', was arrested around 3.30 p.m. A resident of Chichlora in the Pattan area of Baramulla District, 38 year-old Dar joined the HM in the early 1990''s. Srinivas said "Over the years, he has masterminded several terrorist activities including the blast at Narbal in July 2008 in which security forces suffered losses. He had been actively involved in financing the terrorist activities of Hizb."

Police arrested a Government official of the Rural Development Department for his connections with the HM outfit from village Shagla Koti in the Doda District. The accused has been identified as Ghulam Hassan, a resident of Shagla Koti. Police said Hassan was on way to meet HM militant Abu Akasha alias Khalid in the upper reaches of Doda to pay him monthly contribution of INR 4000 when he was arrested.

February 5: Several banned militant groups met in Muzaffarabad, the Pakistan occupied Kashmir capital, and pledged to continue the jihad to "liberate" Kashmir from India. The meeting was organised by a previously unknown group, Tehreek-e-Azadi Jammu and Kashmir, on the eve of "Kashmir Solidarity Day" observed on February 5. Groups affiliated to the United Jihad Council (UJC), the umbrella organisation of more than a dozen militant outfits, were in attendance including the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). The meeting took place at Chattar, a neighbourhood that reportedly houses Government offices, top Government functionaries and political VIPs. The local administration did not prevent the event, held under a tent on a main road. However, there was no comment from the Pakistan Government on the meeting.

Several banned militant groups met in Muzaffarabad, the Pakistan occupied Kashmir capital, and pledged to continue the jihad to "liberate" Kashmir from India. The meeting was organised by a previously unknown group, Tehreek-e-Azadi Jammu and Kashmir, on the eve of "Kashmir Solidarity Day". Groups affiliated to the United Jihad Council (UJC), the umbrella organisation of more than a dozen militant outfits, were in attendance including the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). The meeting took place at Chattar, a neighbourhood that reportedly houses Government offices, top Government functionaries and political VIPs. The local administration did not prevent the event, held under a tent on a main road. However, there was no comment from the Pakistan Government on the meeting.

January 29: SFs arrested two over-ground workers (OGW) of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) during an operation in the Pulwama District. A police spokesman said in capital Srinagar that "A joint party of Pulwama Police, 55 Rashtriya Rifles and 182 Bn CRPF [Central Reserve Police Force] apprehended two OGWs of Hizbul Mujahideen at bus stand in Pulwama district town." He said the duo have been identified as Abdul Qayoom Rah and Mohammad Maqbool Dar. One Pistol, four rounds and one grenade were recovered from their possession.

January 25: An underground hideout of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit was neutralised by the SFs at Wagan near Sher Bibi area in the Ramban District. A large quantity of HM literature, LPG cylinders, utensils and other belongings of the militants were recovered from the hideout.

January 23: Police in the Doda District shot dead two top HM militants, including a 'tehsil commander', in Batyas forests under the jurisdiction of Gandoh Police station and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from their possession. Senior Superintendent of Police Prabhat Singh said a Police party was conducting searches in Batyas forests for the last three days after receiving specific information that top HM militants have developed hideouts there. The militants, who had taken shelter in a natural hideout, opened fire on the Police personnel, who retaliated. In the ensuing encounter, the two militants, identified as 'tehsil commander' Zahoor Ahmed Khandey alias Basir alias Salman and Sajjad Ahmed, were killed. Zahoor had crossed over to Pakistan in 1995 and returned the next year after arms training. Since 1996, he was operating in parts of Doda and Kishtwar Districts. Sajjad had joined militancy in May 2008 and was working as a close associate of Zahoor. Recoveries made from their possession include two AK-56 rifles, three magazines, 17 rounds, one radio set, one mobile telephone, two hand grenades and a large quantity of ration, incriminating documents etc.

January 15: Police arrested four over-ground workers of the HM from the Kangan area of Ganderbal District. They were identified as Sonaullah Bhat, Reyaz Ahmad Bhat, Manzoor Ahmad Khan and Javeed Ahmad Khan.

A HM 'commander', identified as Wasim Malik, who was involved in the January 26, 1995 serial blasts inside the MA stadium in Jammu and who had been bailed out by the court after his surrender in 2006, was re-arrested by Police from Kishtwar town.

January 14: Mohammad Ahsan Dar, a top militant and one of the founders of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), was arrested by Police in the Bandipora district. Dar, a close associate of Hizb chief Syed Salahuddin, was co-ordinating activities of the LeT, HM, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG, North Kashmir), Abdul Gani Mir, said in Baramulla. Acting on specific information that Dar had returned from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was co-ordinating the activities of different militant outfits, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested him in the early hours while he was trying to sneak into Sumbal area from his home town Pattan, he said. Dar, self-styled chief commander of Muslim Mujahideen, offered no resistance while being arrested, Mir said.

2008

December 26: Udhampur District Police recovered one AK rifle, six magazines, 140 rounds, one wireless set, one hand grenade and a satellite telephone from a hideout disclosed by two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, arrested recently by the police from Upper Thanowa in Udhampur.

December 24: The Udhampur District Police arrested two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants during a search operation at village Thanowa. A large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from their possession at Neel Top in Banihal. They were identified as Bashir Ahmed Lohar alias Bilal alias Rafiq and Ashiq Hussain alias Shameem. Both militants were planning to carry out a terror strike in Udhampur town, said the Deputy Inspector General of Udhampur Range Alok Puri. He said Bashir Ahmed was an ‘area commander’ of the HM outfit and was trained in Pakistan and Afghanistan from 1991 to 1993. He was an improvised explosive device expert. His brother, Ghulam Hassan, was also a Pakistan trained militant and was later killed by Security Forces. Ashiq Hussain, a local militant, was reportedly a close associate of Bashir Lohar.

November 9: The house of a police constable Ghulam Nabi, posted with SSR was set ablaze by the HM militants at village Gulgut in the Reasi district.

November 8: Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police, in two separate counter-insurgency operations, shot dead eight top militants of the HM and LeT outfits — four each in the Doda and Poonch districts. The Senior Superintendent of Police of Doda district, Prabhat Singh, said that four hardcore HM militants, including a ‘district commander’, were killed during an encounter at Baleni Nullah in the Dessa area of Doda district.

November 6: A HM ‘district commander’, identified as Ghulam Ali alias Kamal Din, was arrested by the troops at Navapachi in the Marwah area of the Kishtwar district. Ghulam Ali had crossed over to PoK in 1992 and underwent arms training for a couple of years before returning to India. Since then, he had been operating in the Doda, Kishtwar and Anantnag districts and was involved in a series of subversive activities. He was also presently operating as ‘district commander’ of the HM. A large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the possession of arrested HM militant.

November 4: A ‘Divisional Commander’ of the HM, escaped from police custody after snatching the service rifle of escorting police personnel and subsequently firing at them in the court complex at Pulwama.

November 2: A HM militant, Ashiq Hussain alias Faizal Iqbal, was arrested by the police personnel during a search operation in the Ramban district. Ashiq reportedly entered the country through Nepal to disrupt the forthcoming Assembly elections. He was trained in Pakistan and was sent by the HM leadership in PoK to disrupt the forthcoming elections and create terror by triggering explosions in the State.

November 1: A HM militant, Farooq Ahmed Bhat alias Najeebullah, was arrested by a joint force of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF from near the railway station in Jammu. During his interrogation, the militant confessed that he had crossed over to Lipa Valley of PoK from Dodipura in Kupwara in 2001 where he received training in guerrilla warfare. After his training, he was recruited as an ‘instructor’ by the HM outfit to train other militants. He reached Jammu via Nepal border using various modes of transport. The militant had stayed in PoK for eight years.

The Crime Investigation Department of Pakistan arrested eight persons belonging to the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, a banned religious organisation. They were arrested between October 20 and 22 in raids in various parts of Karachi, before they could reportedly carry out planned terrorist activities in the city. They were hande over to the Sohrab Goth Supervisory Police Officer, Irfan Bahadur, on November 1.

A HM militant, Farooq Ahmed Bhat alias Najeebullah, was arrested by a joint force of Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF from near the railway station in Jammu. During his interrogation, the militant confessed that he had crossed over to Lipa Valley of PoK from Dodipura in Kupwara in 2001 where he received training in guerrilla warfare. After his training, he was recruited as an ‘instructor’ by the HM outfit to train other militants. He reached Jammu via Nepal border using various modes of transport. The militant had stayed in PoK for eight years.

A HM militant, Ashiq Hussain alias Faizal Iqbal, was arrested by the police personnel during a search operation in the Ramban district.. Ashiq reportedly entered the country through Nepal to disrupt the coming Assembly elections. According to police sources, he was trained in Pakistan and was sent by the HM leadership in PoK to disrupt the forthcoming elections and create terror by triggering explosions in the State.

October 29: A self-styled ‘district commander’ of the HM outfit, identified as Abdul Rashid alias ‘Majid’, was killed in an encounter with the SFs at Nayan-Batpora village in the Pulwama district. The encounter broke out at around 7 am when a police party assisted by troops of RR raided a house adjacent to a school in the village following specific information about presence of the top HM militant there. The security forces asked the hiding militant to surrender but he opened fire and in the ensuing encounter, the self-styled district commander was killed.

The SFs arrested a militant sympathizer of the HM, identified as Irshad Ahmed, at Hara in the Reasi district.

October 27: Six HM militants, including a foreign mercenary, were shot dead the by Army and police during an encounter at Nithan forest in Gokund of Kishtwar district. Four AK-47 rifles, two pistols, nine magazines, 180 rounds, 18 grenades, two radio sets, two mobile phones and a large quantity of other ammunition and explosives were recovered from the encounter site.

October 23: The HM militants opened fire on a Panchayat (Village level self-government institution) going on in the house of a teacher at village Babariwala in the Haddal area of Doda district, killing a Nambardar (village headman) and injuring a civilian. Later, a top HM militant, identified as Harshad, was captured by the people inside the Panchayat but he too was killed in firing by the other militants. Senior Superintendent of Police (Doda), Parbhat Singh, said three HM militants struck at village Babariwala. While two of them stood outside, one of them with a rifle in hand entered inside the meeting venue in the house of a teacher, Liaquat Hussain. However, the local people sitting in the Panchayat caught hold of the militant and snatched his weapon before he could open firing. Sensing trouble inside, two militants standing outside opened indiscriminate firing in which their colleague and Nambardar were killed and another civilian, Hashim Din, was injured. Two other militants, one of whom has been identified by the local people as Mohd Yasir, fled from the spot.

Two top HM militants, identified as Mohammad Latief Chohan and Farooq Ahmad Chechi, were killed by the SFs in an encounter at Watlar in the Ganderbal district. According to police," Two AK 47 rifles, six magazines, 80 rounds of AK ammunition, two pouches and literature were recovered from them."

October 20: A top HM militant, Idris alias Imran, was arrested by the SOG at Sunjwan in the Jammu district.

October 18: Army shot dead three HM militants during an encounter at forward Kas Kancha area in the Keri sector of Rajouri district. An Army Major was also injured in the encounter, which started when around eight militants were trying to infiltrate along the LoC. Miltants reportedly opened fire and lobbed grenades on troops who retaliated. Three AK rifles, three magazines, 74 rounds, one radio set, two mobile phones, letter heads of HM outfit and some eatables were recovered from the encounter site. This was sixth infiltration attempt in last eight days from twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

October 13: A 'deputy divisional commander' of the HM identified as Irshad Ahmed Sheikh was shot dead by the Doda police and Army in a joint operation at Majmi forests in the Bhagwa area of Doda district. Recoveries made from the slain militant's possession include one AK-90 rifle, one magazine, one mobile telephone, five SIM cards and a large quantity of ammunition and explosive devices.

October 5: Two HM militants, including a Pakistani national, were shot dead by a joint force of the Army and Police during an encounter at village Khail in Chanunta area under Ramnagar tehsil (revenue division) of Udhampur district.

September 19: Two HM linkmen, Imtiyaz-ul-Rehman and Altaf Hussain Malik, were arrested from Pul Doda. They were brother of a Superintendent of Police, posted in CID, and his associate. Police recovered hawala money worth INR 1, 28, 000 from their possession

September 17: The Handwara police and troops of Rashtriya Rifles arrested a HM ‘district commander’ Ali Mohammad Mir alias Khadim alias Ali Mohammad Dar during joint search operation in the Rajpora forest area. One AK rifle, one hand grenade and 13 UBGL shells were recovered from his possession.

The Awantipore Police and troops of Rashtriya Rifles arrested five Over Ground Workers of the HM and JUM. Three hand grenades and letter heads of two militant outfits were recovered from them.

September 14: One ‘district commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), identified as Munir Pir alias Munawar, was shot dead by police and Army during an encounter at Gool in the Ramban district. While two militants managed to escape, one AK-47 rifle, three magazines, one hand grenade, one pouch and a radio set were recovered from the encounter site.

One HM militant, Shabir Ahmed Bhat, was arrested by the Doda district police during a search operation in the Thub area.

September 8: Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants shot dead a civilian, identified as Mohd Iqbal, at his house at village Dedni Khabaran in Goha area of Doda district.

August 30: The troops rescued a teenage girl of Reasi, Zaroon Begum, from the captivity of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants after about a month from Damhal Hanjipora in the Kulgam district. Two HM cadres, identified as Bashir Ahmed and Sharif Din, were arrested by the troops.

August 24: Elsewhere in the State, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant, 'section commander' Ghulam Hussain alias Sohain, surrendered before the troops at Navapachi in the Kishtwar district. He handed over one AK rifle, one magazine and 20 rounds at the time of surrender.

August 17: The body of a HM militant was recovered from the Chontimula forest area in Bandipora district. The militant was identified as Liyat Khan alias Harris, a resident of Surender in Bandipora district, police sources said. One AK rifle, two magazines and 30 rounds were recovered from near the body.

August 16: Troops killed two HM militants in the Chatru area of Kishtwar district. The slain militants were identified as Imran alias Haris and Fareed Ahmed alias Jamsheed. Two AK rifles and 12 magazines were recovered from their possession.

August 15: SFs killed a top militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, identified as Shamas Din, in the Mahore area of Reasi district. Two hand grenades, one IED circuit, one solar charger, one binocular and one pouch were recovered from the incident site.

Another Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant, Farooq Ahmed, is reported to have surrendered before the police in Doda district along with one SLR rifle, which he had looted from a police post in Gandoh in 2007.

August 7: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant, identified as Mohammed Iqbal Malik, surrendered before the security forces in Doda town. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Raghubir Singh, said Iqbal was operating along with other HM militants, including Tariq alias Idrees, Ghulam Nabi Gama and Zahoor-ud-Din.

July 24: In the Doda district, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants shot dead four members of the family of a surrendered militant. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Raghubir Singh, said the militants intruded into the house of Ghulam Hassan Wani, the surrendered militant, in Bari Marmat village, and opened indiscriminate firing on the inmates killing three persons on the spot and injuring two others. Among the dead were Ghulam Hassan Wani, his wife Azeema Begum, 13-year old daughter Ashiva Bano and nephew Tauseef. Wani surrendered in 2002 and was acting as an informer to the security forces. The militants pasted a poster outside the deceased's house asking the locals not to bury the bodies of the dead and warned of dire consequences if anybody did. However, under police cover, the bodies were later buried by the locals.

July 20: Troops killed a HM militant, identified as Abdur Rasheed alias Haroon, at Wudar Bala in Handwara.

July 19: Ten soldiers were killed and 18 more sustained injuries when militants destroyed a bus of the security forces in an IED blast at Narbal Crossing in the outskirts of capital Srinagar. A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) spokesman, Junaid-ul-Haq, contacted newspaper offices in Srinagar and claimed that militants of his organization had destroyed the Army vehicle, killing a number of soldiers.

July 15: The police in Bandipora district arrested a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’, identified as Ali Lone alias Azad. One AK-47 rifle, six AK rounds and one wireless set were recovered from his possession.

July 13: Police arrested Abdul Rasheed alias Mansoor-Ul-Haq, a HM militant, in the Rajouri district. An AK rifle along with some ammunition was recovered from his possession. Senior Superintendent of Police, Rajesh Yadav, told Daily Excelsior that Abdul Rasheed was a close associate of the UJC chief Syed Salahuddin.

July 11: SFs arrested Ali Mohammad Khan alias Showkat, a ‘district commander’ of the HM, after an encounter in the Handwara division of Kupwara district. One AK rifle, five magazines, 150 rounds of ammunition, four Chinese grenades, one pouch and one identity card was recovered from his possession. A ‘b’ category militant, Ali had crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir in 2000 and returned after four years training.

July 6: Two HM militants, who were trapped in an encounter with the security forces, are reported to have escaped from the incident site while leaving a police constable injured in the Wachi area of Pulwama district.

June 19: A HM militant, identified as Sajjad Hussain, surrendered before the Army and police at Ekhla Dachan in the Kishtwar district. He was an active militant since 1994.

June 14: Two militants of HM’s Saquib Group, including one identified as Aiyaz Ahmad Shah alias Janbaz who had abducted and killed down two CRPF personnel last month, were killed during in an encounter at village Narpora in Kellar area in Shopian-Pulwama belt of South Kashmir. The other slain militant was identified as Bajeer Kalas. Two security force personnel including a constable and one Assistant Sub-Inspector sustained injuries.

Military Intelligence and BSF personnel arrested three HM militants soon after they infiltrated into Indian territory from across the border in Pakistan in Ramgarh sector of Samba district. Two Chinese made pistols, two Pakistan made pistols, 67 pistol rounds, five magazines and about 12,000 in Pakistani currency were recovered from them.

June 13: Five security personnel, including an Army officer, Lt. Col. K. Rajendra, his two personal security officers and two General Reserve Engineering Force personnel were shot dead by militants in an ambush at Watsar village near Sinthan in the Kishtwar district. Militants also decamped with two AK rifles from the incident site. Police suspected that the number of militants was between six to eight, with half of them being foreign mercenaries. The LeT reportedly has significant presence in the area.

June 10: A group of five militants of the HM led by ‘commander’ Ghulam Nabi War abducted a 42-year-old civilian Mir Aalam from his house, three kilometre from Kangan township on Srinagar-Leh highway and subsequently shot him dead.

June 9: The security forces foiled an attempt by some militants of the JeM, HuM and HM to indoctrinate and recruit five youth of Sopore area in the Baramulla District into jehad and other anti-national activities. The youths were likely to be sent to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir for acquiring arms and training in guerrilla warfare.

May 25: A HM militant, identified as Kafayat Ullah Tak, was killed in an encounter with the SFs at Bari under the jurisdiction of Assar police station in Doda district. However, his associate, identified as 'section commander' Abdul Qayoom Beig, managed to escape from the incident site in an injured condition, Senior Superintendent of Police Manohar Singh said. Sources said Kafayat Ullah Tak was an 'A' category militant and was instrumental in inducting a number of local youths into militancy and sending them to Pakistan for arms training.

May 18: Police arrested a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, Shaheen Ahmad Malik alias Sajad alias Usman, after an encounter at village Chak Sanzipora in the Handwara district. One AK 47 rifle, three magazines, 43 rounds of ammunition, two UBGL grenades and one Chinese grenade were recovered from his possession.

Troops arrested an over-ground worker of the HM, identified as Mudasir Ahmad Mir, from Shopian in the Pulwama district. He is reportedly a close associate of Shabir Ahmad Mir a.k.a. Shaheedul Islam, a district commander of the HM.

May 16: Police arrested a woman militant of the HM outfit, identified as Raja Begum, from the premises of a court in the Gool area of Ramban district. She was reportedly evading arrest for last eight months after the surrender of her militant husband Manzoor Ahmed alias Furqan. The woman was allegedly involved in several subversive activities along with her husband including the kidnapping and torture of three local boys for forcing them to join the HM fold.

May 15: The Doda district police arrested eight persons, including two SPOs, for their links with militants of the LeT and HM outfits. Both the SPOs were posted in the Gandoh area and they reportedly used to leak vital police information to the militants, sources said.

May 13: Security forces arrested a HM militant, identified as Mohammed Shaffi, from Manjoos Khari in the Ramban district. 9.5 kg RDX and six UBGL grenades were recovered from his possession.

May 9: Police arrested two HM militants, Saleem Sheikh and Abdul Hamid War, at Handwara in the Kupwara district. One AK rifle, two magazines, one grenade, wireless set and 49 rounds of ammunition were recovered from their possession.

May 3: A group of three HM militants abducted two civilians, Bashir Ahmed, a PHE employee and Imtiyaz Ahmed, a surrendered militant, from their houses at village Kuchaal in the Kishtwar district and subsequently killed them.

April 30: A HM militant, Aijaz Ahmad Malik alias Younis, was arrested during a search operation at Sheikh Dawood Colony in the Batmaloo area of capital Srinagar. An AK-47 rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition were recovered from Malik, a resident of Dalipora village in the Pulwama district. His associate Muzaffar Ahmad Dar alias Ali Ganai, a resident of Chiloora-Pattan, escaped during the operation.

Troops arrested another HM militant, Javid Ahmad Bhat, from Pringroo village in the Kupwara district. Bhat was a close associate of Mushtaq Ahmad Malla alias Furqan, a Hizb ‘district commander’, who was arrested recently. A pistol, six rounds of ammunition and a radio set were recovered from Javid’s house.

April 28: Two local militants of the HM, one of whom was the outfit’s financial chief, were killed in an encounter with the SFs in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. The slain militants were identified as Zahoor Ahmad Waza alias Zee Shan, financial chief of the HM of Palhalan and Mohammad Yousuf Bhat alias Muneer. Police sources said the house in which the militants were hiding was damaged.

An HM cadre, identified as Bashir Ahmed Gujjar, was arrested from a hideout in the Breswana forests under the jurisdiction of Doda police station along with one Chinese pistol, five rounds and two shells of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher.

April 25: Two militants of the HM outfit were killed by the security forces in an encounter at village Banj in the Ramban district. They were identified as Mushtaq Ahmed (code name Babar), a resident of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir, and Abu Hazla, a Pakistani national.

April 24: Following a six-hour long encounter, two HM militants were killed at Zachaldara in the Handwara area of Kupwara district. They were identified as Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Bhat alias Sajjad and Mohammad Ramzan Rishi alias Nazir.

The Special Operations Group of Kulgam District Police arrested a top HM commander, identified as Sonaullah Sheikh alias Kafeel from an annexe of a mosque at Kursoo in the Rajbagh area of state capital Srinagar.

Superintendent of Police Handwara, Dr Haseeb Mughal, said that with the arrest of Kafeel in Srinagar and killing of two militants in Handwara, the HM has no listed militant in the Handwara area. He, however, added that about 30 militants of LeT and JeM were still active in Handwara-Kandi belt of Kupwara district.

April 23: Two HM ‘commanders’ in north Kashmir -Tanvir Ahmed Zargar and Imtiyaz Ahmed Khan – were killed by the SFs in a 12-hour-long gun-battle in the outskirts of Baramulla town. A constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police, Mushtaq Ahmed Fafoo, and a civilian, Ghulam Qadir Mir, were wounded in the incident. Tanvir Ahmed Zargar alias Tanna Khan had been functioning as ‘district commander’ since 2004 while Imtiyaz was described as a ‘battalion commander.’ The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dr B. Srinivas, said that Tanvir and Imtiyaz were the last two listed and identified commanders of the HM. He claimed that Baramulla town was now free of militants. He said that as many as 20 senior militant functionaries and commanders had been neutralized in north Kashmir in the last four months.

The Reasi district police killed a ‘battalion commander’ and ‘financial chief" of the HM outfit, identified as Abdul Haq alias Jahangir, in an encounter at village Kallian. Senior Superintendent of Police, J. L. Sharma, stated that he was the longest surviving militant in Reasi district and was operating since 1993.

April 21: An ‘area commander’ of the HM outfit, Ghulam Qadir alias Abdullah, surrendered before the police in Doda. Twelve militants have reportedly surrendered in the last two months in this area, which was once considered as stronghold of militants. Qadir handed over an AK47 riffle, nine magazines, 90 rounds, one binocular, one wireless set and other materials to the police.

April 20: Senior Superintendent of Police (Kulgam), S. P. Pani, said that commander Sabzar Ahmad Waza alias Basharat, a top HM militant, was arrested while trying to flee from the Kashmir Valley. Waza, who had crossed over to the Pakistani side in 1992 and returned to the Valley in 2000 after receiving training in Pakistan, was wanted in connection with a large number of militancy related incidents. On his disclosure, an AK assault rifle, a sniper rifle and a pistol were recovered from a hideout in the Kulgam district.

A HM militant, identified as Ghulam Qadir, surrendered before the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Doda range), Hemant Kumar Lohia, in Doda. Abdullah was ‘A’ category militant and was presently working as ‘section commander’ of the outfit.

April 15: A group of seven HM militants abducted a civilian, Abid Hussain, from his house in the Darhal area of Rajouri district after accusing him of being an informer for the security forces. The militants assaulted Hussain and later left him in an injured condition at a surrounding field.

April 13: Police arrested a top HM militant, who was a close associate of the recently slain ‘divisional commander’ of the outfit, Shamim Thool, from village Challer under the jurisdiction of Gandoh police station in Doda district. The arrested militant has been identified as Mohammed Ismayil (code name Qari Usmaan), a resident of Manothal Patnazi in the Kishtwar district. One Chinese pistol with one loaded magazine, eight rounds and one walkie-talkie set were recovered from his possession.

April 10: SFs arrested a HM militant, identified as Mansoor Ahmed, from village Naiyun in the Srinagar district. Mansoor had reportedly joined the outfit in June 2001.

April 9: The SFs killed four militants of the HM outfit in an encounter in the Ghulabgarh area of Reasi district. The Reasi Police and Rashtriya Rifles launched a joint search operation in the remote area of Mahore and in the ensuing two-hour long encounter, four militants were killed. The slain militants were identified as ‘area commander’ Mohammed Shafi alias Badshah Khan a.k.a. Gazi, Mohammed Rafiq alias Basharat, Talib Hussain and Munabar, all from the HM outfit.

The Doda Police killed a militant, identified as Javed Iqbal Bhat, near Gandoh. The slain militant was reportedly accompanying ‘divisional commander’ of HM, Ghulam Hassan Thool, who was killed by the security forces on April 8-morning.

April 8: Two militants of the HM outfit, including a ‘divisional commander’, were killed by police during two separate encounters in the Doda and Kishtwar districts. Besides arms and ammunition, a fake identity card carrying signatures of Executive Magistrate Ist Class, Kishtwar, was also recovered from the ‘divisional commander’. The slain militants were identified as Ghulam Hussain Wani (code name Shameem Thool) alias Shameem Shahid, a ‘divisional commander’ of the outfit, and Mohammed Iqbal alias Haq Nawaz.

April 3: The Handwara Police arrested Junaid-ul-Islam, the Kashmir-based spokesman of HM, from the neighbourhood of Jammu and Kashmir Police headquarters in the Karan Nagar area of capital Srinagar. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dr B Srinivas, informed a press conference that Handwara Police conducted a raid in Srinagar and arrested HM ‘chief spokesman’ Abdul Khaliq Dar a.k.a. Junaid-ul-Islam a.k.a. Khalil-ur-Rehman a.k.a. Fazal-ur-Rehman early in the morning. According to Police records, Junaid-ul-Islam had crossed the Line of Control in 1990 to undergo training in guerrilla warfare at a HM camp in the PoK. He underwent training and later also handled training camps for fresh recruits and trainee HM militants. He was an ideologue and was also known for writing articles and his reactions to the articles of other authors in local newspapers, particularly in the Urdu weekly Chattan.

April 2: Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone), S. M. Sahai, informed the media in Handwara that Police had arrested four top wanted militants of the HM. He said that ‘district commander’ Mushtaq Ahmed Malla alias Furqan was arrested over a specific information. Malla had reportedly been operating as a militant since 1990. His sustained interrogation led to the subsequent arrest of his successor ‘district commander’ Mudassar Shabir Ganai alias Ali alias Illyas, his close associate and HM ‘Financial Chief-cum-Launching Commander’ Nisar Abdullah Malik and ‘area commander’ Pervez Ahmed Wani alias Mubashir alias Saifullah.

SFs killed two militants of the JeM outfit, identified as Abu Hussain alias Saifullah and Abu Omar, both Pakistani nationals, during an operation at Arin Dardpora in the Bandipora district.

April 1: Four persons, including two top commanders of the HM and an Army soldier, were killed at Dudu Mirhama in the Anantnag district. Senior SSP, Nitish Kumar, said the slain commanders were identified as ‘divisional commander’ Aslam Khan alias Zia-ur-Rehman and ‘district commander’ Javaid Ahmad Lone alias Nazar. In the encounter, Vijay Kumar of the Rashtriya Rifles and owner of the house, where the militants were hiding, Abdul Rashid Khan, were also killed, the SSP said, adding that Abdul Rashid Khan was an over-ground worker of the HM.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) are reported to have neutralized a militant module and arrested three militants identified as Peer Mohammed Ashraf of the Al Badr, Gowhar Hussain Gani and Saleem Yousuf Gani alias Faisal, both from the HM outfit. A JKP spokesman said that on further investigation, three more Over Ground Workers of the HM outfit were arrested. They were identified as Ajaz Ahmad Pal, Hayatullah Bhat and Muhammad Amin Bhat. One AK 47, three magazines and 59 AK rounds were recovered from their possession.

March 31: Police in the capital Srinagar arrested the Pulwama district ‘commander’ of the HM, Rayees Kachru, who had allegedly killed as many as 28 soldiers and civilians in the last seven years. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone), Shiv Murari Sahai, disclosed at a press conference that Police had arrested one of the top wanted commanders and IED experts of the HM, Rayees Ahmad Dar alias Rayees Kachru, from his hideout in Srinagar early in the morning. Subsequent interrogation led to the recovery of three Universal Machine Guns, one Sniper rifle, one AK 47 rifle, 4000 rounds of assorted ammunition, three pistols, three wireless sets, two rocket launcher shells, four shells, one hand grenade, three rifle grenades besides two canes of liquid explosive containing around 60 litres of explosives and one IED weighing 25 Kgs from the Pulwama district. In a statement, the Hizb spokesman Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman confirmed Kachru's arrest but insisted that he was an ordinary member of his organization and not a commander.

March 30: Security forces arrested two HM militants from Gandbal in the Kulgam district.

Two HM militants, Farooq Ahmed and Mohammed Iqbal, surrendered before the SFs in the Gandoh area of Kishtwar district. They handed over one INSAS rifle with magazines and ammunition, one wireless set, SLR and LMG magazines, grenades and some documents.

March 25: Bahar Din alias Zulfa, an ‘area commander’ of the HM outfit, was shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at village Moori in the Mahore area of Reasi district. He was operating in the Gool-Gulabgarh-Mahore belt for more than a decade.

A HM cadre, identified as Iqbal Chechi, surrendered before the SFs at Ganderbal. He also deposited one AK rifle, three AK magazines and 80 rounds of ammunition.

March 21: A 23-year-old youth, identified as Mohd Shaffi, was kidnapped from his house at village Bakhna in the Doda district and subsequently gunned down by suspected HM militants.

March 20: Muneer Ahmed Lali, a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, was killed by the security forces at village Bazipora Ajas in the Bandipora district

March 19: One person was killed and 16 sustained injuries when the HM attempted to blow up a part of the only flyover in the capital Srinagar with an IED blast. Officials said that a suspect, who was reportedly a student from the nearly Maisuma locality, had been detained for questioning.

The HM chief and chairman of the United Jihad Council (UJC), Syed Salahuddin, has said Pakistan could not stop supporting the Kashmiri militant groups. He admitted that Pakistan has continuously been providing both military as well as political support to the Kashmiri militants.

March 18: Security forces shot dead Jehangir Ahmed Bhat alias Chhota Jehangir, the HM’s Anantnag ‘District Commander’, in a joint operation at Dogripora in the Awantipore area of Pulwama district

March 9: Mohammed Qasim alias Babbar, a HM ‘commander’ involved in a series of killings and other subversive activity, was killed by the SFs during an encounter at Chatroo in the Kishtwar district. However, his bodyguard managed to escape from the incident site.

Two HM commanders, identified as ‘district commander’ Mumtaz Ahmed alias Tahir Siddiqui and ‘battalion commander’ Anzar Ahmed alias Arslan, surrendered before the SFs at Reasi along with a large quantity of arms and ammunition. During their preliminary questioning, the militants have disclosed that the HM was facing shortage of manpower and weaponry in the upper reaches of Mahore, Arnas and Gulabgarh.

Police arrested a ‘district commander’ of the HM, Mushtaq Ahmad Malla alias Furqan, at village Maratgam in the Kupwara district.

The SFs arrested Gulzar Ahmed Dar, an Over Ground Worker of the HM outfit, in Anantnag district.

February 29: SFs killed four HM militants in an encounter at Saidpora in the Shopian district. SFs launched a cordon-and-search operation in an open orchard area at Saidpora over specific information that four HM militants were hiding at the house of one Mohammad Shaban Sheikh. In the ensuing encounter, the militants, identified as Sayyar Ahmed Thokar and Riyaz Ahmed Thokar alias Abu Jihad, Sayyar Ahmed Bhat and Mohammad Iqbal, were killed.

February 24: A Pakistan-trained militant of the HM, Javid Ahmad Sheikh alias Rizwan, was arrested at Pulwama. Two hand grenades were recovered from his possession.

February 15: Baramulla Police arrested a militant of the HM, Manzoor Ahmad Dar a.k.a. Khalid, who was active in the Kreeri, Pattan and Sangrama areas for the last six years. One AK 56 rifle, two AK magazines and 40 rounds of AK ammunition were recovered from his possession. He was reportedly working under the command of 'district commander' of the outfit Tanveer Ahmed Zargar.

February 12: Police arrested five HM militants, Abdul Qayoom Bhat alias Kelli, Nazir Ahmad Rather alias Afridi, Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh, Sharief-ud-Din Wani and Feroz Ahmad Dar from Pampore.

February 11: Two HM militants, including a self-styled commander of the outfit, were killed in a gun-battle with the SFs in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. The slain militants were identified as 'district commander' Zahoor Ahmad Ganai a.k.a. Firdous and Nazir Ahmed Parry.

February 10: Hanief Khan, a 'Divisional Commander' of the HM, was among the two militants killed in a gun-battle with the SFs in the Noorpora village of Pulwama district. His accomplice was identified as Javed Ahmad Malik alias Mussaub-ul-Islam. Deputy Inspector General of Police (South Kashmir), Hemant Kumar Lohia, said that Hanief Khan was 'Divisional Commander' in south Kashmir and he was simultaneously operating as the organisation's 'Financial Chief' in Jammu and Kashmir. According to officials, Khan was involved in about 20 killings since 1990. According to a statement from the Hizb spokesman, Ehsan Illahi, HM chief Syed Salahuddin has immediately appointed Gazi Rafi-ud-din as the organisation's new 'Divisional Commander' for south Kashmir.

February 1: One 'battalion commander' of the HM outfit, identified as Rahool Bhat, was shot dead by police personnel during another encounter at Tangbal under Yaripora police station in the Kulgam district.

January 30: With the killing of four militants of HM, including a 'District Commander', senior officials of Jammu and Kashmir declared the Kulgam district of south Kashmir as a "militancy-free zone". Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone), Shiv Morari Sahai, held a press conference at Bijbehara to declare the Kulgam-Arwani belt as a militancy-free area. He said that the security forces had laid siege to a cluster of residential houses at Batpora, near Arwani, and began search for a group of militants hiding in the locality. Four Kashmiri militants of the HM group were hiding at the house of one Mohammad Maqbool Malik. In the ensuing encounter, all the four holed up militants, identified as 'district commander' Sajjad Ahmed Bhat alias Tahir Maqsood, Firdaus Ahmed Wani alias Naseer, Javed Ahmed alias Weqas and Farooq Ahmed War alias Huzaib, were killed. Two AK-56 rifles were recovered from the incident site.

January 24: A HM militant was arrested by the SOG of Jammu Police from a rented house at Dogra Hall in Jammu city. He was working as a Supervisor with a Chandigarh-based English newspaper to hide his credentials. The militant was identified as Riyaz Ahmed Shah alias Raja, a resident of Shangran in the Anantnag district. Preliminary investigations revealed that Raja, a ‘B’ category militant, was involved in the killing of a civilian Jabbar Khanday in 2005 under the jurisdiction of Dooru police station.

January 22: Apprehending a crackdown 20 years after he sneaked into Pakistan, the HM ‘commander-in-chief’, Syed Salahuddin, said that authorities in Islamabad cannot arrest him. "Pakistan cannot arrest me. I live on my own soil," said the United Jihad Council (UGC) chief in an interview posted on the Pakistan occupied Kashmir Website. Salahuddin, who ex-filtrated to Pakistan 20 years ago after his defeat in elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 1987, did not give reasons why he apprehended his arrest. "We are not terrorists according to United Nations law," UJC leader claimed.

January 7: A HM militant, identified as Tariq Hussain alias Umer, surrendered before the security forces at Gandoh in the Doda district. He also handed over one Self Loading Rifle, three rounds and one magazine at the time of surrender.

January 6: Police claimed to have arrested a militant of the HM group from Kumili in the Idukki district of Kerala. Altaf Ahammed, a 29-year old native of Jammu and Kashmir, was involved in various crimes against the government, said Assistant Superintendent of Police Vikramjith Singh. Altaf was arrested following information from the Jammu and Kashmir Police. He had reportedly applied for a passport in Idukki and the Kerala Police had sent his documents to their counterparts in Jammu and Kashmir for verification when his identity came to light, police said adding the accused got training from Pakistan.

January 5: SFs arrested a HM militant Javid Ahmad at Chandkote in Baramulla along with one AK rifle, three magazines, 88 rounds of ammunition and one pouch.

January 1: Security forces arrested a HM militant, identified as Irshad Ahmed alias Adil, from Lancha Budhan in the Gool area of Ramban district. One Chinese hand grenade was recovered from his possession.

2007

December 30: A HM militant, identified as Iqbal Dar, was arrested by police and troops of Rashtriya Rifles (49 Battalion) in a joint operation from village Panzath under Qazigund police station in the Anantnag district.

December 25: A fake currency racket, being operated from across LoC for funding militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and headed by a former legislator, was detected by the security agencies with the arrest of the former legislator’s son and recovery of fake currency worth INR 45,000 from him. Police have reportedly pursuing a hunt for the former Member of Legislative Council of Kupwara, Mohammed Abdullah Bhat and his two Anantnag-based associates, who were in possession of fake currency worth lakhs, which had been supplied to them from other side of the border for funding militancy, official sources said. The fake currency network was being used primarily to finance the HM network.

December 24: The police rescued all the five civilians held captive by militants inside a mosque in the Kulgam district and killed all the three militants, ending the 24-hour hostage crisis. The security force personnel lobbed tear gas shells, forcing the three militants to come out. They then engaged the captors in a gun battle in which two militants were killed, police sources said. Another militant fled and took shelter in one of the minarets of the mosque and engaged the police in an encounter for nearly an hour, after which he too was killed. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, H.K. Lohia, said that all the five hostages were unharmed and the mosque suffered no damage in the gun battle.

December 23: Twelve HM militants surrendered before the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at Ramban on December 23. They were identified as Manzoor Ahmad a.k.a. Furkaan Ali (Divisional Commander), Mumtaz Ali a.k.a. Asif Rahi (District Commander), Abu Qayoom a.k.a. Imran Khan (Deputy District Commander), Feroz Din Malik a.k.a. Gazeen Nasrula (Battalion Commander), Abdul Latif a.k.a. Javed Iqbal (Deputy Battalion Commander), Shakeel Ahmad Gujar a.k.a. Danish Iqbal (Section Group Commander), Ghulam Hassan a.k.a. Kamran Akmal (Operation Commander), Shah Nwaz a.k.a. Shafu Rohman (Operation Commander), Mohammed Rafi a.k.a. Zaffar (Operation Commander), Bashir Ahmad Gujar a.k.a. Berkat, Abu Latif Taidwa a.k.a. Zuabiruelha and Riyaz Ahmed Kholi a.k.a. Sajad.

December 19: The HM announced a complete ban on militant grenade attacks in public places. "There is a complete ban on grenade attacks by Hizbul and other outfits," HM operations chief Ghazi Misbahuddin said in a statement. The group said such attacks were banned because "the movement is passing through a crucial phase and we need the utmost caution."

December 15: Syed Salahuddin, chairman of the United Jihad Council (UJC) and 'supreme commander' of the HM, said that the militant leadership is ready to support the Irish peace model as a first step towards the solution of Kashmir issue, provided Government of India accepts the disputed status of Kashmir issue. He rejected the four point formula of Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf saying it has created doubts in the minds of people since the formula has not been explained. He denied that there was any pressure on militant groups from Pakistan and added that militancy is more effective and self reliant at this time. "Whosoever comes into power in Pakistan, they can not stop the struggle in Kashmir. Our struggle is not for the freedom of Pakistan but for the survival of Kashmiris," he claimed. Salahuddin opined that the ongoing movement would continue even if Pakistan stops supporting it.

December 12: A Kashmiri militant of the HM, identified as Mohammad Arif, was killed in an encounter with the Army in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district.

December 5: Police arrested the HM 'divisional commander' for central Kashmir, Tajamul Islam, from a hideout in the Sopore town of Baramulla district.

December 4: Nasir Ahmad Bhat, the head of the HM’s operations in Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested in a raid near Pulwama. A resident of the village Arwani in the southern Kashmir district of Anantnag, Bhat is the senior-most HM ‘commander’ to have ever been arrested. Bhat’s arrest, police sources said, has retarded the group’s plans to sabotage State elections scheduled to be held next summer. Operating under the direct command of the HM’s Rawalpindi-based chief, Mohammad Yusuf Shah a.k.a. Syed Salahuddin, Bhat had the overall responsibility of its operations within Jammu and Kashmir. Over the past three years, he is believed to have directed a string of bombings and shootouts which claimed several hundred lives. Bhat - who used the codename ‘Ghazi Misbahuddin’ - had been despatched to rebuild the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen after it lost a series of top commanders to Indian counter-terrorism operations in 2003-2004.

December 2: The Special Operations Group of Jammu Police arrested a top HM militant from a bus in Nagrota along with arms, ammunition, two identity cards and a mobile telephone. Mohammed Hayat Bhoru (code Danish), who had undergone training in different camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir for five and a half years, was en route to Jammu city to create a safe hideout for HM 'divisional commander' Maqsood Bhat, presently operating in the Neel area of Banihal, who had been directed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence to carry out a major terrorist attack in Jammu city. November 29: Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles (44 Battalion) arrested an over-ground worker of the HM, Shabbir Ahmed Kalas, from Dunaru in the Pulwama district.

November 27: One Over Ground Worker of the HM outfit, Mohi-ud-Din Bhat, was arrested by police in the Handwara area of Kupwara district.

November 26: A 'company commander' of the HM, Tariq Ahmed Ahangar alias Anees-ul-Islam, was killed by the SFs in the Tral area of Pulwama district. Tariq Ahmed Ahangar had taken over as HM ‘company commander’ after ‘commander’ Illyas died in an encounter with the Army at Pampore in July 2007. Tariq had gone across to Pakistan for arms training in 1998 and had returned back in December 2006. HM spokesman Junaid-ul-Islam confirmed to the media that Tariq had been shot dead in an ambush by the Army.

A young girl, Shakeela Bano, was reported to have escaped with a HM ‘commander’, Mohammed Iqbal alias Shah Nawaz, in the Dehrot area of Doda district.

November 23: An ‘area commander’ of the HM, identified as Mohammed Mansha alias Muddassir Iqbal, surrendered before security forces in Reasi along with arms and ammunition.

November 22: One HM militant, Noor Hussain Kataria alias Shabnam, surrendered with his arms before Lieutenant General A. S. Sekhon, the GoC 15 Corps along with five five Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami militants.

November 21: The police recovered INR 14 lakh hawala money from a Tral resident at Jehangir Chowk in the capital Srinagar. Sub-Inspector of Police, Aijaz Ahmed, said "The money was meant for the Hizbul Mujahideen militants."

November 19: Tariq Ahmed Lone alias Gowhar, ‘district commander’ of the HM, was arrested when police raided the house of one Nazir Ahmed Bhat at Nanil in the Anantnag district.

November 15: A HM militant, identified as Mohammad Ayoob Dar alias Baadshah Khan, was arrested during a search operation at Ichhgooza in the Pulwama district.

A HM militant, Fareed Ahmed, surrendered before the SFs at Chajroo in the Mahore area of Reasi district.

November 4: At Balana village in Sigri Bhatta area under the jurisdiction of Chatru police station of Kishtwar district, two HM militants including a commander of the outfit were killed after six hour long exchange of fire. The killed militants were identified as Babbar and Abdul Qayoom alias Gazali.

November 3: Two HM militants and a woman were killed in an encounter in Kashmir valley in the Neilpakipora area of Pattan in Baramulla district. A security force personnel was injured in the attack.

Two OGWs of the HM outfit were arrested in Hajan area of Bandipora district. Police sources said that both were assisting the militants by procuring mobile SIM cards of them and also by providing them shelter.

Security forces arrested two other HM OGWs at Paybugh in Mattan area of Anantnag district and seized two hand grenades from their possession.

October 31: Moulvi Fayyaz Ahmed alias Alfa 3, a ‘district commander’ of the HM, his unidentified associate and a Special Police Officer, Shamas Din, were killed in an encounter between militants and SF personnel at Malikpura in the Chatru area of Kishtwar district . Sources said Moulvi Fayyaz Ahmed was among the longest surviving militants in the Kishtwar and Doda districts. He was reportedly active in militancy since 1992 and was involved in a series of subversive activities including killing, kidnappings and extortions. He was also instrumental in recruiting several local youths into HM.

October 30: A HM militant, identified as Hashim Ali, who was allegedly involved in an attack on Congress party Member of Parliament, Choudhary Lal Singh, and his convoy in the Doda district during 2004, surrendered before the SFs in Kishtwar district.

October 29: SFs killed two HM militants near the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district. The slain militants were identified as Mohammed Ashraf and Zafar Hussain.

Khalid alias Junaid, a HM militant, who was in contact with police in Pakistan since 2004, finally succeeded in crossing the LoC and surrendered before security forces in the Reasi district Official sources said the US Cellular services mobile telephone found in possession of Khalid had range in the entire Pir Panjal range from where the militants, including three foreign mercenaries, who were in Khalid's group, used to talk to their Pakistani handlers and family members.

October 23: Police arrested four over ground workers of the HM outfit from Ganderbal. They were identified as Manzoor Ahmed Khan, Younus Baniya, Mohamed Iqbal Baniya and Forest Guard Ghulam Mohammad Baniya.

October 22: Two HM militants, Manzoor Ahmad Wani alias Tariq and Manzoor Ahmad Lone alias Kashif alias Doctor, were arrested from Natipora in the capital Srinagar.

Abdul Majeed Dar alias Bhambar Khan, a released Pakistan trained militant of the HM, was arrested from Chogal in the Kupwara district.

October 19: A militant of the HM, identified as Irshad Ahmad Dar alias Tauseef, was killed in an encounter with the SFs at Chak-e-Churat Ram in the Pattan-Tangmarg belt of Baramulla district.

Police arrested two HM militants, identified as Ismayil and Ashraf, along with a consignment of mobile telephones and Hawala money from Bara Kund in the Ramban district. This was third Hawala consignment seized by police on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in less than a week with a total haul nearing INR 8 lakh.

October 16: The CRPF personnel arrested a HM militant, identified as Irshad Ahmed, during a search operation from the Nawa Bazar area in capital Srinagar.

October 11: Five soldiers and two civilians were killed and six soldiers sustained injuries in an IED blast carried out by the militants at Hamray in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. Deputy Inspector General of Police (north Kashmir), B. Srinivas, said that the militants had planted a powerful IED inside a LPG cylinder and managed to carry it inside the military camp with a number of refills. They reportedly triggered off the bomb with a remote control device or a mobile phone. A purported HM spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack.

October 10: Two HM militants were killed by the police during an encounter at Sugan village in the Pulwama district.

Security forces arrested a top militant of the HM outfit, Manzoor Ahmed Mir, aboard a bus at Jhajjar Kotli Bridge in Jammu and recovered INR 2.5 lakh worth Hawala money from his possession. Police interrogation has revealed that Manzoor was an active militant of the HM since 2004.

October 9: Top HM militant Latief Ahmad Ganai alias Furkaan and his close associate Rafiq Ahmad Shah were killed in an encounter with a joint search party of Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group personnel at Wagub-Sopore village in the Baramulla district. A police man was injured in the encounter. Latief had reportedly crossed over to Pakistan for arms training in 1999 and had returned in June 2007.

October 8: Two militants of the HM, identified as Sartaj Ahmad Shaksaz alias Tabraez and Ashiq Ahmad Padru alias Janbaaz. Sartaj, died in an encounter with the troops in the Mahipora village of Kulgam district.

Police in Jammu city arrested another law student who was working for the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit and was involved in several subversive activities. Zahid Bhatti, who was studying Law in Dogra Law College, was part of a wide network of the HM which the outfit had managed to create in Jammu. Bhatti is the second law student of Dogra Law College to be arrested for links with the HM. On September 7, police had detained a third year Law student of the same college, Nahida Altaf, a resident of Poonch district, when she was smuggling a grenade launcher, grenades and ammunition in a car driven by her father, a police head constable from Surankote to Jammu. Nahida's father and mother, an officer with the Education Department, were released by the police as it was established during investigations that Nahida had joined the HM on her own.

The UJC chief Syed Salahuddin has announced a unilateral cease-fire for three days from October 12 to 14 on the occasion of Ramadan. A news agency quoting spokesman of the Pakistan-based UJC, Syed Sadaqat Hussain, said the decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Syed Salahuddin, who also heads the HM. The meeting decided there would be complete cease-fire for three days on the part of all militant groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesman said.

October 4: SFs arrested a HM militant, identified as Muzaib Ahmed Lone, at Chitti Bandi in the Baramulla district.

October 1: Doda police arrested three fresh recruits of the LeT outfit from Doda. These youths had been lured into militancy by a local LeT activist, Bashir Ahmed Ganaie. Police also arrested four motivators of militants from Doda. They were motivating youths to join LeT and HM outfits. Police also rescued eight youths from captivity of the militants.

September 30: A HM militant, identified as Mohammed Farooq, surrendered in the Darhal area of Rajouri district. He was reported to have joined militancy and also operated in Mumbai for sometime.

September 29: Security forces sealed a mosque in Tujan village in Budgam district, after two HM militants took shelter inside it in their bid to escape arrest, and subsequently killed the two holed up militants. The slain militants were identified as Khursheed Ahmed Rather alias Zubair and Nazir Ahmed Dar alias Faisal alias Irfan. A trooper was wounded in the operation.

September 27: A HM militant, Anayatullah, surrendered before the SFs in Doda. So far 28 militants, including top commanders of various militant outfits, have surrendered in the Doda district in 2007.

September 26: SF personnel killed two HM militants, 'divisional commander' Mohammed Shafi alias Nasir-ul-Islam alias Delta One and 'district commander' Javed Iqbal alias Umar Gazi, at village Ghat under the jurisdiction of Doda police station in the Doda district.

September 20: One HM cadre, Mohammad Ramzan Bhat, was arrested by SF personnel during a search operation at Rajwar in the Kupwara district. Bhat confessed that the HM outfit was planning to fire rockets towards SF and police camps in Handwara area.

September 18: Three HM cadres, identified as Farooq Ahmed Khan Piswal alias Akram, Shahjahan Khan alias Waqas and Mushtaq Ahmed Khan alias Janbaz were killed by SFs in the Kudara forest area of Bandipore in the Baramulla district.

Troops arrested one HM militant, Gulzar Ahmed, from Kulshan area in the Chatroo belt of Kishtwar district along with one grenade and some rounds. He was reportedly active since 2004.

September 17: Two terrorists, identified as Irshad Ahmed Lone alias Khursheed alias Bilal and Tariq Ahmed Shah, were arrested at Nutnusa along Sopore-Kupwara road in the Kupwara district. Irshad was reportedly the 'district commander' of the HM.

September 14: A 'battalion commander' of the HM, identified as Meraj-ud-din Sofi alias Rizwan, reportedly surrendered before Bandipore police. Officials, however, claimed that Rizwan was arrested by the police and army in a joint operation. They said that he had recently returned after staying at a guerrilla training camp for two years.

September 8: One ‘deputy district commander’ of the HM, identified as Irfan Dar, was killed in an encounter with the troops at Shali Nullah in the Doda district.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested a woman acting as an arms courier for the HM. The Inspector General Police Sheesh Pal Vaid talking to reporters in Jammu said, "We have arrested a girl student of a local Law College, Nahida Altaf, on a tip-off, at Tanda in Akhnoor, 30 km from here. An under barrel grenade launcher and eight grenades were recovered from a car in which she and her parents were coming to Jammu from Poonch." During questioning, Nahida, daughter of policeman Altaf Hussain of Surankote in the Poonch district, said she was given the consignment by Altaf Ahmad and that she was to pass it on to Fayaz Ahmad Talak of Anantnag, the police officer said. Her family had no knowledge about the presence of arms and ammunition in the car.

September 7: A HM militant, identified as Abu Magaaz, was shot dead and another injured by security force personnel in an encounter at Haryana Top in the Sangiot area of Poonch district.

September 1: An activist of the HM, Nasir Ahmed, was arrested by SFs from the Mahore area of Udhampur district.

August 31: Unidentified militants shot dead a retired Superintendent of Police, Mohammad Amin Khan, and wounded his unarmed security escort in close vicinity of his residence at Babagund village in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. The HM has reportedly claimed responsibility of Khan's killing with the allegation that he had worked with the counter-insurgent Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police.

August 30: Personnel of the Srinagar Police with the assistance of Baramulla Police arrested two top ‘commanders’ of the HM outfit, identified as Nazir Ahmed Pathan and Mohammed Shafi Kasana. They were reportedly active in the Gool area of Jammu division since the last 10 years and had recently shifted their base to Kashmir and were planning to step up subversive activities in Kashmir valley.

Two more HM militants, identified as Javaid Ahmed Mir and Shakeel Ahmed Mir, were arrested from the Rajwar area in Handwara.

August 29: Abdul Rashid alias Jahangir, a ‘deputy district commander’, and Bashir Ahmed alias Billal, a ‘section commander’, of the HM outfit surrendered before the SFs at Doda. Jahangir was an ‘A’ category Pakistan-trained militant and was active in militancy since 1996 while Billal was trained in Kashmir and was operating in Doda since 1998. With this, a total of eight militants have surrendered in Doda district this month. They include five from the HM and three from the LeT.

August 28: A school teacher, Mohammad Yousuf Kallas, was abducted and subsequently killed by terrorists in the Pulwama district. A letter from the HM outfit was recovered from his pocket.

August 27: Troops arrested Rafiq Ahmed alias Furkan, a HM 'section commander,' from Kuntwara in the Kishtwar district.

August 26: The HM 'operations commander' for Ramban, Ijaz Ahmed Chopan, was shot dead by the security forces at Bhimdassa in the Ramban district. Chopan was a hardcore militant operating in the Gool-Gulabgarh-Mahore area for the last six to seven years was an IED expert.

August 19: An "A" category ‘commander’ of the (HM, Fayaz alias Zubair, was killed in an encounter with the police at Bijbehara in the Anantnag district. Another militant, identified as Fayaz Ahmad alias Jamsheed, was arrested.

Police arrested a HM militant, Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Kachroo, from Redwani-Rampora road in the Kulgam district after a brief encounter.

August 13: A HM militant, Nayeem Ahmed alias Riyaz, surrendered before the SFs at Kishtwar along with one AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 89 AK rounds and one pouch.

August 11: One HM militant, identified as Mushtaq Ahmed, was killed by SFs in an encounter at village Rajpora in the Kupwara district.

August 9: Police personnel killed Sabzar Ahmad alias Muzamil, a HM ‘battalion commander’ at Mantribug village in the Kulgam district. "It is a big blow to Hizbul Mujahideen as Sabzar was an expert in manufacturing IEDs", the Superintendent of Police, S. P. Pani, said. He added that another HM cadre, Pinto Rashid, was arrested. Another Hizb militant, Mudasir Ahmad Mir alias Jahangir, however, managed to escape from the incident site.

A ‘tehsil commander’ of the HM, identified as Mohammed Shafi alias Shahbaz, was killed in an encounter with the troops in the Thathri area of Doda district. Another militant, identified as Akhter Hussain alias Intekhab, is reported to have surrendered to the security forces after the encounter.

August 8: A militant of the HM, Riaz Ahmed alias Mubsher, was arrested by the SF personnel at Zalla bridge in Kishtwar district.

August 5: A local militant of the HM, identified as Shaukat Ahmed alias Jannisaar, was killed by the SFs at Brakpora in the Anantnag district.

August 1: SFs killed Mohammed Abid Hussain Basra alias Zargam alias Hayat, a 'divisional commander' of the HM, in an encounter at Nagni Nullah in the Doda district. However, his two body-guards managed to escape from the incident site.

July 31: Police arrested a HM militant, identified as Latief Ahmed Bhat, and recovered one magazine and 160 rounds of ammunition from his possession at Rajpora in the Pulwama district.

July 30: A government school teacher, Adullah Gujjar, was reportedly abducted by three HM terrorists at village Duniki in the Ramban district and later beheaded. The three Hizb cadres were later identified as Mohammed Shaffi, Shakeel Ahmed and Abdul Latief.

The HM withdrew its call for thousands of migrants to quit Jammu and Kashmir within a week, which had led to hundreds of people fleeing. The demand was reportedly prompted after two non-Kashmiris were arrested on suspicion of raping and killing a teenage girl. The HM announced the ultimatum on July 27 after two migrant labourers were among six people arrested. "For the misdeeds of a few, all non-Kashmiris working in the Kashmir valley cannot be punished… The migrant workers face no threat from us ... but criminal elements among non-locals must leave," said a statement issued by the banned group.

July 29: Police killed a category 'A' militant of the HM, identified as Farooq Ahmed Sheikh alias Illyas, at Pampore in the Pulwama district.

July 23: Police arrested Qadir Sheikh, a former HM militant, for extortion from the Khansahib area of Budgam district along with an AK 47 rifle, three magazines and 23 rounds.

July 23: Two HM militants, Aijaz Ahmed Bhat alias Muzammil and Mohammad Yousuf Najjar, were killed in an encounter that ensued after troops launched a search operation at Mandora in the Tral area of Pulwama district. Sources said that Aijaz was the most wanted "A" category militant in Tral area, as also an improvised explosive device expert, while Yousuf was a "B" category militant.

Official sources said a group of LeT militants abducted and later killed Javid Iqbal, a cadre of the HM, from Kither Bonjwa in the Gandoh area of Doda district. According to sources, Iqbal had surrendered before the security forces about two years back. However, he rejoined the HM group about six months back.

July 22: A surrendered militant, identified as Mohammed Yaseen Pachu, was abducted and subsequently killed by two terrorists at village Amma Trigam in the Banihal area of Ramban district. Sources said that two HM cadres, with whom Pachu had worked for about four years, were suspected to be behind the killing.

July 19 Security forces busted a major hawala (illegal money transfer) network of HM by arresting a top militant of the outfit, identified as Arif Ahmed, and recovered over INR 6.50 lakh hawala money from him on Ramban-Gool road in the Ramban district. Arif was arrested with the consignment which was to be delivered to the HM ‘deputy divisional commander’ Abu Haneef a.k.a. Sher Ali, who was operating from the forest area of Sangaldan. According to sources, the hawala money was dispatched from Awantipura by HM ‘divisional commander’ Abu Hurera a.k.a. Abu Mastan. Five more persons were also detained and being interrogated by the security forces.

July 18: Security forces arrested two HM militants, identified as Tariq Ahmed Mir and Javaid Ahmed Bukhari, from a house in the Handwara area of Kupwara district. While one AK 47 rifle, three magazines and 46 rounds of ammunition were recovered from Tariq, Javaid was arrested along with one AK rifle, three magazines and 61 rounds of ammunition.

July 11: Mohammed Anwar, a ‘district commander’ of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment, was shot dead and one of his body-guards, Mohammed Tariq, arrested during an encounter with the SF personnel at Daryal forests in the Budhal area of Rajouri district. Another body-guard of the slain militant managed to escape from the incident site.

July 10: Two militants of the HM were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Padarpora in the Kulgam district. The slain militants were identified as Ayaz Ahmed Chopan and Ulfat Mohammad.

July 6: Two HM cadres, identified as Tariq Ahmed Ganai alias Shahid Kafeel and Mohammad Abbas Wagay alias Basit, were killed by SFs at Hassanpora village in the Kulgam district.

July 5: Four persons, including two HM militants, were convicted by a court in New Delhi for possessing explosives and conspiring to wage war against the country. The other two persons, held guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Explosive Substances Act, are members of the outlawed SIMI. The quantum of sentence for HM militants, Gulzar Ahmed Wani and Mohiuddin, and SIMI activists, Feroz Rafi and Mumtaz, convicted under section 122 of the IPC for "preparing to wage war" against the State will be pronounced on July 6.

The HM militants, both from Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, and the SIMI activists from Uttar Pradesh were arrested at New Delhi Railway Station on July 30, 2001. Police had then seized a huge haul of RDX, grenades, launchers, detonators and other explosives from them. The Hizb militants had reportedly come to Delhi to deliver the explosives to the SIMI activists. With their arrest, police had claimed to have solved six bomb blast cases, including the 2001 Sena Bhavan blast. However, the court on February 23 acquitted them in all these cases for lack of evidence.

SFs arrested Gulzar Ahmad Wagay alias Adil, a militant of the HM outfit from the Anantnag district.

July 4: Showkat Ahmed Dar, a top militant of the HM outfit, was killed in a gun-battle with the SFs at Mandoora near Awantipora in the Pulwama district. Dar was reportedly involved in nearly twenty killings and was operating for the last ten years in the Kashmir Valley. A soldier sustained injuries during the incident.

July 3: One Army personnel, Bharat Singh, was killed and a Major, James Stephen, sustained injuries in an ambush laid by the terrorists at Manugala forests in the Topa area of Rajouri district. Official sources said a patrol party of the Rashtriya Rifles was ambushed by three cadres of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment, led by local militant Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din. The three terrorists are reported to have escaped form the incident site.

Brigadier N. P. S. Hira of the Uri brigade informed the media that at least 2000-3500 militants, mostly foreigners, are ready to infiltrate into the Kashmir Valley. He said 1500-2000 foreign militants besides 700-800 local militants, mostly belonging to the HM are ready to be launched into the Valley. "821 local militants are stationed in five camps, Gadi Habibullah, Jangal Mangal, Boyi, Manshera and Khewari near Muzaffarabad," he said.

June 30: Three persons, including two HM militants, were arrested from Sultanpur village in West Bengal's Howrah district. District Superintendent of Police N K Singh said that they raided the house of one Sheikh Samsuddin under Jagacha police station and arrested HM cadres Mohammed Raj and Mohammed Zakir and a civilian identified as Samsuddin. Fake passports, visas and forged travel documents were recovered from them. Singh said that the HM militants had come to Kolkata from Delhi on June 17 and were looking for a transit route to Bangladesh.

June 30: Police detected a five-kg IED planted by militants near the main gate of the Degree College at Anantnag on the Khannabal-Pahalgam road being used by the Amarnath pilgrims. Additional Superintendent of Police (Anantnag) Javeed Ahmed Matto said that the IED, kept in a tiffin box, was later defused and claimed that it was the handiwork of the HM outfit.

June 27: SF personnel shot dead a HM ‘district commander’, identified as Museeb-ul-Islam alias Abdul Qayoom, and injured his body-guard during an encounter at Ansi dhok under the jurisdiction of Budhal police station in Rajouri district. His unidentified body-guard, however, managed to escape from the incident site along with another associate, official sources said.

June 22: The dead body of a HM militant, identified as Liaqat Ali, who was reportedly killed by his associates, was recovered from the Dubjan Khund forest in Shopian district.

June 20: A surrendered HM militant, identified as Mohammed Rafiq, was injured when a detonator exploded in a cigarette he was smoking at Gandoh police station in the Doda district.

June 19: A SPO, Mohammad Rafiq, was shot at and wounded by two unidentified terrorists in his house at Gandali in the Reasi district. Sources said Rafiq was a HM militant and had surrendered before police in 2002. He was later recruited as a SPO and was involved in several successful operations against the militants.

Unidentified terrorists lobbed a hand grenade towards the house of Zahoor Ahmad, a militant of the HM, at Palhalan Pattan in the Baramulla district. However, it exploded in the compound without causing any damage.

A HM ‘section commander’, Mohammed Shoaib alias Sajid, surrendered before the police in Jammu along with arms and ammunition.

June 17: Troops of Rashtriya Rifles arrested an over-ground worker of the HM group, identified as Abdul Majid Nazar, following the recovery of a hand grenade and 27 rounds of ammunition from his house at Shahgund in the Baramulla district.

June 15: Two HM militants, Ghulam Hassan, a deputy district commander, and Abdul Gani, an 'area commander', surrendered before the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Udhampur-Doda range), Lalat Indu Mohanty, at Doda.

June 11: Two HM commanders surrendered before the security forces in the Doda district along with arms, ammunition and explosives. While Riaz Ahmed alias Faisal surrendered at Marwah, Shahbaz alias Gazi surrendered at Gandoh.

Four over-ground workers of the HM, Ghulam Nabi Wani, Sohail Mohiddin Dar, Farooq Ahmad Wani and Abdul Hamid Wani, were arrested at Sopore in the Baramulla district.

June 9: Police recovered the bullet-ridden dead body of a SPO, Bilal Ahmed, from Loktipora. He was abducted by HM militants on June 4 from Budgam.

Suspected militants caused an IED blast on Nihalpora-Pattan Road, targeting a security force patrol convoy. Nobody was injured in the attack. Later, the HM claimed responsibility for the attack.

June 6: Police arrested an over-ground worker of the HM, identified as Farooq Ahmed Waza, from Kishtwar city for allegedly providing food, shelter and logistic support to militants.

June 5: A HM militant, identified as Shiraz Ahmad Mir, was killed in an encounter with the security force personnel at village Chudipora in the Shopian district.

June 4: Two top cadres of the HM, ‘section commander’ Shah Din alias Sher Khan and Ghulam Mohammed alias Mehmood, were killed by the SFs at village Tanatly Bisran in the Gandoh area of Doda district.

Two more militants of the HM, Mohammad Rafeeq Bhat and Mohammad Tariq Bhat, were killed in an encounter with the SFs at Qazipora-Watpora in the Bandipora area of Baramulla district. A 17-year-old girl, Rifat, was injured in the gun-battle.

June 3: An over-ground worker of the HM, Azad Ahmad Bhat, was arrested by the troops from the Handwara area of Kupwara district along with two UBGL grenades.

May 31: Militants caused an IED blast at Bilalabad on the Sopore-Bandipore Road of Baramulla district injuring three BSF personnel, identified as Suresh Paul, Vijay Chand Shukla and Hari Singh. The HM has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

Two HM cadres, identified as Mohammed Rafiq and Abdul Jabbar, were arrested by police from Behota forests in the Marmat area of Doda district. Sources said Rafiq was earlier arrested in 1999 and spent next six years in jail. He was released in 2005 and had again joined the HM outfit.

May 29: Doda district police arrested a HM militant, identified as Abdul Majid alias Shaheen, from Sinthan Maidan in the Chatroo area. Police said Shaheen was active in militancy in Chatroo and adjoining areas for last three years and was involved in a number of subversive activities.

May 27: The Doda district police arrested Nafiz Manwar Ahangar alias Irfan, a ‘company commander’ of the HM outfit, who happened to be the son of a retired Zonal Education Officer in the Kishtwar area.

May 24: SFs recovered the dead bodies of three HM militants from Ramsu in the Ramban district. The militants, who were believed to have been killed during Operation Bakrola, between March 6-21, 2007, were identified as Inayat Hussain alias Sher Khan, Mohammed Iqbal alias Shaheen, and Mohammed Farooq.

May 23: In the capital city of Srinagar, the Srinagar District Police arrested HM’s longest surviving and the most wanted "divisional commander", Ghulam Hassan Mir alias Shabnam, 18 years after he had joined militancy in 1989. Mir led the Police to Lar Jagir and Tral Bala where some arms and ammunition, including one AK-47 rifle, were claimed to have been recovered on his identification of the hideout.

May 17: Police arrested Abdul Ghani, a top HM wireless operator, during a raid at Shah Nagri in the Handwara area of Kupwara district.

May 15: Police arrested Shabir Ahmed Bhat alias Owais Karim of the HM outfit and Hilal Ahmad Bhat of the Al-Badr group from the Kupwara district.

May 13: SFs killed two HM militants, identified as Ashraf and Makhna, during a search operation in the Ramban area of Doda district after specific information about the presence of a group of local HM militants in the area. Two other militants managed to escape.

Another HM militant, identified as Amin alias Jahangir, was killed by the troops in an encounter that occurred at Bhatta bridge in the Marwah area of Doda district.

May 12: Two militants including a self styled ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, identified as Ishtiaq Ahmad Peer, were killed at Tarzoo-Sopore in the Baramulla district.

May 10: A HM militant, identified as Bilal Ahmed, surrendered before the Army in the Kupwara district. Bilal surrendered along with his weapons before the 14 Grenadiers in Lunawari after surviving the day-long encounter at Dardehare in Kupwara district, a Defence spokesman said.

May 8: The Indian government said that Pakistan-based LeT has been building up a women cadre by imparting arms training to them at its camps in Pakistan. Available reports suggest that LeT is running training camps in Pakistan and PoK for imparting arms training to its women cadre. Union Minister of State for Home, Sriprakash Jaiswal, in a written answer in the Parliament said there was continued involvement of Pakistan and Pakistan-based terrorist outfits like the HM, LeT and JeM in terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India. "They were using and leveraging the existing infrastructure of terror in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and other parts of Pakistan," he said.

May 7: Irshad Khan alias Firdous alias Naseer Baluch, a 'section commander' of the HM, was shot dead by the SF personnel during an encounter at Qila Mohalla in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district.

April 26: Police arrested two over-ground workers of the HM for attempting to target a convoy of the para-military Central Reserve Police Force by planting liquid improvised explosive devices at Nowdal on April 16. They were identified as Tajamul Islam and Bashir Ahmed Shah.

Another plot to assassinate the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in a suicide attack during his rally at Bandipora in the Baramulla district was foiled by police with the arrest of three militants, including a Pakistani national. A senior police officer said that a top LeT militant, Showkat Ahmed, was arrested from the capital Srinagar on April 24. During interrogation, he revealed that the LeT, JeM and HM had hatched a joint conspiracy to assassinate the Chief Minister at Bandipora during his rally. Police raided a militant hideout on the outskirts of Srinagar from where two associates of Showkat were also arrested. They included one Pakistani, Abu Sikander.

April 24: SFs shot dead a HM ‘district commander’, identified as Naseer Ahmed Lone, during an encounter at Sumlar village in the Baramulla district.

April 23: The HM ‘district commander’ Bada Jehangir alias Ghulam Nabi Mir was found dead in the Anantnag district. Residents reportedly spotted the bullet-riddled body Bada Jehangir on a road near Gadseer in the Anantnag district. He is believed to have been killed by the militants themselves on some suspicion.

April 22: Three top HM cadres, including a deserter SPO, were allegedly killed by LeT in the remote and hilly area of Kither under the jurisdiction of Gandoh police station in Doda district. The slain militants were identified as Abdul Qayoom, Sajjad Ahmed and Shabir Ahmed. While Abdul Qayoom was a deserter SPO, Sajjad and Shabir were active in militancy for the last two years. Official sources said the trio was allegedly strangulated by Pakistan-based militants of the LeT as they were planning to surrender before the security forces.

April 20: Two cadres of the HM, identified as Bilal Ahmad Ganie and Hilal Ahmad Bhat alias Sajad, were shot dead in an encounter with the SF personnel at Ratnipora in the Pulwama district.

A HM militant, identified as Abdul Qayoom alias Hakani, was killed in an inter-group clash with LeT cadre at village Kulthu Chilly under the jurisdiction of Gandoh police station in the Doda district

April 18: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen ‘section commander’ was arrested by troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and Special Task Force during a search operation at village Manjmi in the Doda district. The militant, identified as Farookh alias Irfan, was arrested on the basis of information reportedly given by the Army Intelligence.

April 15: SFs killed two top wanted militants, namely Muzamil Ahmed Wagay alias Assadullah alias Nanha, HM ‘battalion commander’ in Shopian, and Muzaffar Ahmed Parray alias Murtaza, in an encounter at the house of one Ghulam Mohammad Bhat at Zainbathoo village in the Shopian area of Pulwama district.

April 10: SFs arrested a top HM militant, identified as Ghulam Nabi Sheikh alias Zaffar, and defused three Improvised Explosive Devices in the Doda district.

April 9: SF personnel recovered 40 kilograms of RDX and other arms and ammunition during a search operation at Thanala in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. The consignment was reportedly recovered at the behest of a HM militant, Rouf Ahmed alias Azad alias Gazi, who had surrendered before Army and police on April 8. Apart from 40 kg RDX, the seizure included two .303 rifles, 100 rounds of .303, 200 AK rounds, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher with six shells and some incriminating documents.

April 8: Rouf alias Gazi, an ‘area commander’ of the HM, surrendered before the Army in Doda district. Gazi had escaped from the encounter in Kishtwar on April 2 in which three HM militants were killed and another injured. He handed over one AK rifle, one magazine and some rounds of ammunition at the time of surrender.

April 3: Troops neutralised a hideout of the HM in the Darhal area of Rajouri district.

April 2: Mohammad Hussain Rishi alias Umair, a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, was killed in an encounter that ensued after security forces conducted a cordon-and-search operation at Khullar Sof-Shali village in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district.

April 1: Two HM cadres, identified as Saifullah, a ‘tehsil commander’ and Faisal, a ‘section commander’, and a personnel of the Territorial Army, Ravinder Kumar, were killed in an encounter at Kushal in the Chatru area of Doda district.

March 27: Eight terrorists of HM, Tehrik-e-Jihad, Hizb-e-Islami and Kashmir Revolutionary Force laid down their arms before Army in the Uri area of Baramulla district. Sources said that five of the militants surrendered before Army authorities at Braripora and three more laid down arms before officials at Kamalkot.

March 26: SFs gunned down Nazir Ahmed, bodyguard of a HM 'battalion commander' Abdul Haq alias Zehangir in an encounter at Leggani Khrog in Thuruoo area of Arnas in the Reasi Police district.

March 11: The third and the last holed up militant was killed in the encounter between militants and SFs at Naibugh village in the Tral area of Pulwama district. The militants were identified as Altaf Ahmed Khan alias Raashid, Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Sahil and Shabir Ahmed Bhat alias Asif Jameel of the HM outfit.

Security forces arrested three HM activists including two women along with INR 4.21 lakhs hawala (illegal money transfer) money, one Thoraya satellite telephone and a BSNL mobile. They have been identified as Mohd Yusuf Bhat of Gool in the Udhampur district, Rajia Begum and Misra Begum, both sisters and residents of Kulgam in the Anantnag district. The hawala consignment and telephones were given to them by a HM 'district commander' for Kulgam, Muneeb and were to be handed over to HM 'divisional commander' Mushtaq Ahmed at Gool. According to sources, all three accused boarded a bus at Wanpoo in the Anantnag district along with the consignment given to them by Muneeb. They were arrested as soon as they boarded off the bus at Ramban of Doda district.

March 10: Two HM militants were killed during an encounter at Naibugh in south Kashmir. Operations were still continuing between the security forces and another HM militant.

March 8: A militant of HM, identified as Sayar Ahmad, was killed at village Dachan Yaripora, in Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

March 7: Security forces arrested a HM cadre, Shabir Khanday, at Pampore in the Pulwama district.

March 5: An an encounter took place between Army and HM Pir Panjal Regiment militants at Dhundak in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district. While, an army personnel Sepoy Rakesh Kumar was injured, the militants managed to escape from the encounter site.

Three suspects militants, identified as Mohd Azam, Fazal Hussain and Haji Mohd Din, were arrested from Thanna Mandi in Rajouri district. The report added that the data extracted, from the cell phone of Abu Mavia, the slain HM ‘commander’ Pir Panjal Regiment, listed them as over ground workers of the militants.

March 1: In the outskirts of Kishtwar town in the Doda district the ‘commander-in-chief’ of HM Pir Panjal Regiment, identified as Mohd Yasin, and his associate, Shafaat, were killed by Army and Police in an encounter at Morha Daraj under Kandi police station jurisdiction in the Rajouri district. Yasin was carrying a reward of INR Five lakh on his head, official sources said.

February 23: Two Pakistani militants of the HM outfit and an Army personnel are killed and two other soldiers are wounded in a day long encounter during which militants fled from one house to another in populated village of Hasblot and Raina Mohalla in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri. The slain militants are identified as Shahid Rasool alias Abu Mavia and Abu Umar alias.

February 22: Police arrested a HM ‘commander’, Bashir Ahmad Wagay, from the Shopian area in Pulwama district.

February 19: Police arrested Mohammad Ashraf Malik, a HM militant, from Kangan in the Srinagar district along with a loaded pistol.

February 18: The Interpol has sought the assistance of JKP to question the chief of HM, Syed Salahuddin, in connection with the disappearance of a Scottish tourist in the Kashmir valley 26 years ago.

February 15: Two top cadres of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, identified as ‘tehsil commander’ Ali Mohd Dandi alias Arshad Ayub and his body-guard Bashir Ahmed alias Zahir-ul-Islam, are shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at Gulabgarh in the Udhampur district.

February 6: In a joint operation Police and troops of RR 62 Battalion killed two militants of HM at Nowpora Cholan in Kulgam area. Police sources said that two other militants, including one named Sabzar Ahmed Waza alias Basharat, are suspected to have escaped during the encounter. Identities of the two militants killed in the operation are yet to be ascertained.

In another incident, a HM militant, Shabir Ahmed Bhat alias Imran alias Sadat alis Subhan Afghnai alias Junaid, who belonged to the Mushtaq Malla group, surrendered to the Superintendent of Police Handwara following a raid on a hideout at Khan Tulwari along with an AK-56 rifle and a hand grenade.

February 4: Police arrested Fayaz Ahmad Hajam alias Khadim, a ‘Battalion Commander’ of HM, in Kupwara district.

January 28: Two SF personnel are killed and two others sustain injuries in an encounter with HM terrorists at Chadroo in the Kishtwar area of Doda district.

January 26: A ‘commander’ of the HM, identified as Mohammad Sharief Khan alias Aurangzeb, is shot dead by SFs in an encounter at Kachwan jungle in the Anantnag district.

January 23: A CRPF spokesperson said that terrorists detonate an IED at Probabad on the Awantipora-Panzgam road in Pulwama district when two CRPF vehicles were passing the area. He said three CRPF personnel, identified as Thomas, S. K. Misra and Ganesh, died in the blast. HM claims responsibility for the attack.

January 17: SF personnel kill at least three cadres of the HM, identified as Sheeraz alias Muzamil, Muddassar and Riyaz,, during an encounter at Augam in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

January 16: Maqbool Ahmad Bhat alias Tariq alias Altaf Sheikh, a HM ‘district commander’ is arrested in Baramulla.

January 15: A civilian, identified as Abdul Rashid, is shot dead by two terrorists near his house at Sumbar in the Ramban area of Doda district. Official sources said two militants, Mushtaq Ahmed and Mohammed Iqbal, of the HM outfit abducted Rashid from his house and took him to a nearby isolated area and later shot him dead.

January 8: A militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Reyaz Ahmad Bhat, is arrested at the main market of Pulwama district.

January 4: The HM chief, Syed Salahuddin, has reportedly denied any link between the al Qaeda and his outfit and said it is not in the "interest of the Hizb" as it is "fighting" all Kashmiris and not Muslims alone. "As far as we Kashmiris are concerned, we are only confined to Kashmir.... We have no introduction or links with the Al-Qaeda. I think it is not in our interest to side with Al-Qaeda because we are not fighting only for the Muslim Kashmiris but for all the Kashmiris including non-Muslims," Salahuddin said in an interview to a Pakistan-based private news channel.

January 3: A Naib Subedar of Army is killed and two other soldiers are injured in an encounter with the terrorists of the Pir Panjal Regiment of the HM at Khadoon in the Budhal area of Rajouri district.

2006

December 23: Police at Tral arrests a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadre, identified as Mohammed Shaban Bhat.

December 21: Police arrests one at Khashtang in South Kashmir and recover INR 1,60,000, one letter pad of HM and 25 AK rounds.

December 15: Police in the Doda district shot dead two HM cadres, identified as Shahid Hussain and Abdul Hafiz Batt alias Hikmatyar, at village Thanala in the Bhadarwah area.

December 13: A HM militant, identified as Mohammed Yasin alias Tufail, surrenders before the Doda police along with one AK rifle, one magazine, 27 rounds and some incriminating documents.

December 11: Security forces killed two militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Mohammad Shafi Ganai alias Shaheen and Ghulam Hassan Sheikh alias Nadeem alias Bilal alias Zaffar, in an encounter at Sofigund in the Tral area of Pulwama district.

December 9: HM 'divisional commander' Mohammed Sharief alias Hekmatyar was killed by the police in an encounter at Lancha in the Udhampur district.

December 8: A Delhi Court sentenced two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, arrested three years ago with a huge cache of arms and explosives, to seven years rigorous imprisonment.

December 3: Shama Begun, the wife of Mohammed Javed alias Jishan, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen 'sector commander', was killed in an exchange of firing between militants and security forces at Parshola near Prem Nagar in the Doda district. However, Javed managed to escape from the incident site.

An over-ground worker of the HM, identified as Sardar Mohammed, was arrested from village Sharekhi in the Doda district. 56 AK rounds, letter pads of the HM and some letters written by a militant Riaz Ahmed, (presently in Pakistan) were recovered from his possession.

November 30: Three top cadres of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen including 'battalion commander' Shabir Ahmed alias Tufail, were killed by the SFs during an encounter at village Deval in the Mahore area of Udhampur district. The other two slain militants were identified as Abdul Hamid alias Ashiq and Mohammed Amin alias Zunaid.

November 28: Suhail Faisal, one of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's most wanted 'commanders' in Jammu and Kashmir, was killed by SFs at his hideout which he had established in the residential locality of the former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Baba Mohalla in the Bijbehara township of Ananatnag district.

November 21: SFs kill two cadres of the HM outfit, 'section commander' Fareed Ahmed and Shabir Ahmed, at Kawana village in the Banihal area of Doda district.

The BSF shot dead a HM cadre, identified as Mushtaq Ahmed alias Rafiq, in an encounter at Thacchu Mohalla in the Udhampur district.

November 20: A militant of the HM, identified as Mohammad Iqbal Bodha, is killed while two other militants escaped from the incident site at Mehmoodabad in the Anantnag district.

November 15: SFs shot dead a HM militant, identified as Basharat Peer alias Saifullah, at Sumbar in the Ramban area of Doda district.

In a breakthrough in the plot hatched by foreign militants of HM inside the high-security Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu to assassinate the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Kathua jail, the police arrests a contract killer, Akash alias Makora, who had been delivered a consignment by a conduit of HM's Anantnag-based commander for executing the task.

November 14: At least 15 persons, including seven security force personnel, are wounded when terrorists targeted a CRPF camp at Karan Nagar in the capital Srinagar. Militants first lob a grenade towards the camp in which two CRPF personnel are injured. A few minutes later militants detonate a car bomb causing injuries to 13 more people, including two more CRPF men, two cops and nine civilians.

Militants set off an IED near a busy bus stand in the Baramulla town, injuring an Army Major, two soldiers and eight civilians. The HM claims responsibility for both the attacks. .

November 13: A HM militant, Muzaffar Hussain alias Zahid Kamran, surrenders before the Doda police and Army.

November 12: A 'battalion commander' of the HM, Mohammad Shafi Meloo, is killed in an encounter with the SF personnel near Pahalgam in the Anantnag district. A civilian was injured in the shoot out.

Muzaffar Hussain alias Kamran, a HM militant, who has been active in Doda and surrounding areas, surrenders before the SFs at Thathri in the Doda district.

November 11: Even as the HM denies that the youth captured by residents of Tahab in Pulwama district on November 10 was a militant of that organisation, 22-year-old Ghulam Nabi Mir alias Shora confessed in Army's custody before media that he had thrown the grenade on the Bareilvi cleric, Maulana Abdur Rasheed Dawoodi, on the direction of an over-ground activist, Gulzar Ahmed Mir alias Nikka Mir.

November 8: LeT cadres clash with HM militants at Gandoh in the Doda district in which a top HM cadre, Gul Nawaz Shah alias Abu Hamza, is killed. Official sources said Shah was earlier working with the LeT outfit but had sometime back switched allegiance to the Hizb.

On the day of arrival of the first rail coach in Kashmir valley, militants cause an IED explosion near the railway track at Gulzarpora in the Awantipore area of south Kashmir, injuring a civilian. Militants caused another IED explosion at Kehlil in the Pulwama district. However, no loss of life or injuries is reported. The HM, however, claimed to have killed six soldiers in the two incidents.

November 7: Shabbir Ahmed alias Abu Abrar, a HM cadre, who had deserted a police picket as a Special Police Officer at Thathri on April 20, 2006, is shot dead by the SFs at village Budhi in the Gandoh area of Doda district.

November 6: An over-ground worker of the HM, Mohammed Hassan, is arrested by security forces from village Tanki in the Banihal area of Doda district.

November 5: Two over-ground workers of the LeT, Jehangir Ahmad Lone and Ghulam Ahmad Lone, and a HM militant are arrested and a cache of arms and ammunition seized from them during separate operations in the Kupwara and Pulwama districts.

November 4: Terrorists shot dead four members of a family, including three women, in their house at Maglogi in the Ramban area of Doda district. A group of four terrorists attacked the house of Ahad Bhat at Maglogi and started molesting two girls, including Ahad’s 25-year-old daughter Mobina. The terrorists wanted to abduct Mobina for forcibly holding her nikaah (marriage) with a HM cadre. Bhat had been receiving letters from HM cadres to hold the nikaah of Mobin with an ‘area commander’ of the outfit, Zafar Ahmed.

SF recovers 200 kilograms of RDX and a large quantity of other explosive material including 61 detonators, five remote control devices, four timer pencils, 10 rounds of .303 and 500 grams chemical from a cave, reportedly being used as a hide-out by the HM militants in Sumbar area of Ramban.

Police and security forces arrested a HM militant, identified as Mehboob Ahmed Khatana alias Naasir, and recovered two hand grenades from his possession at Tengpuna in Pulwama.

November 3: Unidentified terrorists stopped a marriage party at Bumthan on the outskirts of Anantnag town and shot dead Bilal Ahmed Parray alias Bil Wahab, one of the most prominent commanders of HM in south Kashmir, who had surrendered before Police earlier this year. According to official records, he had functioned as HM ‘Chief of Operations’ in the Anantnag area and appointed as ‘District Commander’ after security forces killed the most wanted Shabir Bidouri. HM spokesman Junaid-ul-Islam claimed that militants of his organisation gunned down Bil Wahab for he had surrendered and later arranged surrender of several other militants.

Terrorists fire some shots towards a Police party at Pinglish village in the Tral area of Pulwama district. The officers escaped unhurt, but their vehicles are damaged in the attack. The HM claimed responsibility for the incident.

October 30: Noor Mohammed alias Javed Burqi, a HM 'divisional commander', reportedly a close associate of the Pakistan-based HM chief Syed Salahuddin, is shot dead by the SF personnel in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district.

Three HM terrorists abduct a police constable and two students from village Chadol in the Udhampur district. While one of the students, Nissar Ahmed, is killed and another injured, the constable is untraced till last reports came in.

October 29: Mohammad Iqbal Mir, a 24-year-old civilian, believed to be an informant of the security forces, is abducted and subsequently killed by terrorists in the Yarwan forest of Pulwama district. A note, purportedly written on behalf of the HM and labeling the individual an informant has been recovered from the incident site.

October 24: Police in the Doda district shot dead two cadres of the HM outfit, 'divisional commander' Mushtaq Ahmed and 'section commander' Abdul Lateef, in an encounter at Keen Dhar in the Gandoh area of Doda district. A porter, who was carrying arms and ammunition of the HM cadres and is killed in the operation, is identified as Mohammed Issaq. A Special Police Officer is reportedly wounded in the incident.

October 22: Two top cadres of the HM outfit, 'section commander' Shabir Ahmed Bhat and Mohammed Imran, are shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at Mislie in the Doda district.

October 16: People of Sugoo village in the Shopian area of Pulwama district have reportedly captured a category "A" militant of the HM outfit, Rayees Ahmed Malik, and handed him over to Police while claiming cash reward of INR 2 Lakh.

October 15: A HM cadre, identified as Mohammad Hafiz Kulas, is killed by the SF personnel in an encounter in the Donaro forest area of Pulwama district. Another HM cadre, Abdul Majid Mir, is killed by the SFs at Motigowran in the Anantnag district. Two HM cadres, including a former Special Police Officer, surrender before security forces and police at Gool in the Udhampur district.

October 14: SFs kill two cadres of the HM after a raid on their hideout at Senzan on the Pulwama-Panjgam Road in Pulwama district.

October 13: Two cadres of the HM, Azad Ahmad of Shopian and Shakeel Bhai alias Abass of Gujranwala in Pakistan, and one SF personnel are killed and a SF personnel wounded in a 24-hour-long gunfight at Allayalpora village in the Shopian area of Pulwama district.

October 9: SFs arrest a HM cadre, identified as Mohammed Imtiaz, from village Barthi in the Doda district. ·

October 6: Two suspected terrorists of the HM, Yasin Dar and Dildar Dar, are arrested in the Anantnag district.

SFs neutralize a hideout of the HM at Botengo in the Anantnag district and arrest two militants who were planning to plant an IED on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

October 3: SF personnel kill two terrorists of the HM, identified as ‘District Commander’ Mohammad Ashraf Ganai alias Bilal and Naseer Ahmed Wani alias Zubair, during a search operation at Borwah village in the Budgam district. Two SF personnel are wounded in the incident.

September 30: Two soldiers are injured when terrorists carried out an IED blast on Marhama-Sangam road in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag district. The HM claims responsibility for the attack.

September 29: A cadre of the LeT, identified as ‘district commander’ Sameer Ahmed Mir alias Abu Saquib, is killed when two groups of terrorists, suspected from the HM and LeT, opened fire on each other at Neeldora in the Pulwama district.

Mohammed Shafi, a HM cadre, who had escaped on September 13 from Chatru police station in Doda district in handcuff leading to the dismissal of a Special Police Officer and suspension of a Head Constable from the services, is re-arrested by the police from Marwah.

September 28: SFs arrest two HM cadres from the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district along with one hand grenade and three detonators.

SFs arrested one Hizb cadre along with one pistol and eight rounds from the Charar-e-Sharief area of Budgam district.

September 27: A 65-year old HM cadre, Roshan Din Gujjar, is killed during an encounter with the SFs in the Dedla area of Doda district. Roshan Din is a hardcore militant despite the age factor and was known for beheading civilians.

Security forces arrested two cadres of the HM and Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami outfits and five over-ground workers from separate places in the Jammu region.

September 26: Police detects and subsequently defuse a powerful 15 kilogram RDX and grenades filled IED, planted by three HM cadres, identified as Ajaz Ahmed, Mumtaz Ahmed and Riaz Ahmed at Daksool under the jurisdiction of Ramban police station..

September 24: Over 1,000 trained Kashmiri militants are "currently stranded" in three camps of the HM in the Hazara region of NWFP, a Press Trust of India report quoted the Pakistan-based Herald magazine. "Of these, the Hisari and Batrasi camps are located in Mansehra district while a third camp is located in Boi in district Abbottabad," Herald reported. It quoted unnamed sources to say that thousands of other terrorists were confined in camps run by half a dozen smaller Kashmiri groups or predominantly Pakistani outfits like the LeT, JeM and Al-Badr Mujahideen in the frontier and Pakistan occupied Kashmir regions. Quoting "knowledgeable sources", the Herald said "until recently”, small groups like the Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen, Al-Umar Mujahideen, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Al-Fatah, Al-Jihad, Al-Barq, Tehrik-e-Jihad, and Islamic Front were receiving between 400,000 and 700,000 rupees a month, adding, "Large organisations like HM, LeT, JeM, Al-Badr Mujahideen and others received more money, ranging between two to three million rupees."

September 23: SF personnel arrest a HM cadre, Mushtaq Ahmed Wani, from the Safekadal area of capital Srinagar along with a pistol and three rounds

September 22: A cadre of the HM, identified as Pervez Ahmed Bhat, is shot dead by the troops during an encounter at Tarzoo in the Sopore area of Baramulla district, while his associate, identified as Ishtiaq Pir, managed to escape.

Police arrests a HM cadre, identified as Mohammed Israel, from village Bonjwah in the Doda district.

September 21: Police in Doda district rescue two teenagers, Zakir Hussain and Farooq Ahmed, from the clutches of HM cadres at village Zihand.

September 20: The Pakistan-based HM offers a conditional cease-fire in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir during Ramadan, which is set to begin next week. Ehsan Elahi, chief spokesman for the HM, said, “If the Indian government agrees to scale down troop presence, stop human rights violations and release all political prisoners, we will also consider a cease-fire in attacks against them during Ramadan.”

September 19: A HM cadre, identified as Tasleem Ayaz Rather alias Farzar Gohar alias Shahjar Khan, who reached Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir after operating in Mumbai and other parts of India for last eight years after undergoing training in Pakistan, is arrested by the police from Gujjar Mandi near Rajouri town.

September 16: Two HM militants are killed during an encounter with the SFs at Wahipora in the Pulwama district in which two SPOs are also injured.

CRPF and Jammu & Kashmir Police personnel arrest four HM militants from a Maruti car at Pohru Chowk, on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway, in the outskirts of Srinagar.

HM militant, Mohammed Shaffi, surrenders before Army personnel at Gei in the Doda district. ·

September 15: A youth, Alaf Din, is killed and five members of a SPO’s family are injured when a terrorist lobbed a grenade on his quarter in the Surankote town of Poonch district. The surrendered militant-turned- SPO, Mohammed Rafeeq, was an active cadre of the HM till he had surrendered before security forces in 2003.

A HM militant, who had recently surrendered before security forces, escapes from Chatru police station of Doda district along with a handcuff.

September 14: SFs arrest a HM cadre, identified as Mohammed Shafi, from village Kiyar in the Doda district.

A HM cadre is arrested along with two hand grenades at Shopian in the Pulwama district.

September 10: One Special Police Officer, Abdul Hameed, is killed and a Constable injured in an ambush by the HM at Kulgam in the Anantnag district.

A HM cadre, identified as Mubashir Ahmed Dar alias Saifullah, is killed in an encounter with the police at Damhal Hanjipora in the Anantnag district.

September 9: Troops conducting search operations at Dunaro in Kellar belt of Pulwama district kill a terrorist identified as Yasin Pathan. He was one among the four top wanted terrorists and close associates of HM "Chief Commander Operations" Shehnawaz alias Misbah-ud-din.

September 7: Two cadres of the HM are killed in an encounter with the BSF personnel at Gulshan Abad in the Pulwama district.

September 6: Troops shot at and subsequently arrest a HM cadre, identified as Farooq Ahmed Rather, after an encounter at Check-e-Charatram village in the Budgam district. A Sub Inspector of Police is injured in the operation.

September 5: Mohammed Rafeeq alias Wasim alias Billoo Gujjar, a ‘deputy divisional commander’ of the HM who had been active for the last 15 years and also the longest surviving cadres of the outfit, was shot dead by SFs in an encounter at village Mangal Kundi in the Udhampur district.

SFs kill two more cadres of the HM, identified as Mohammad Ayub Khan alias Dawood and Mohammad Amin Najaar, in an encounter in the Hapat Naar area of Anantnag district.

Terrorists shot dead a student, identified as Ehsanul Haq Bhat, at Sopore in the Baramulla district, when he was returning home. The HM claimed responsibility for the killing saying Bhat was an informant of the SFs.

September 2: A HM cadre surrenders along with an AK rifle, three rounds and a grenade at Naidkhai.

August 31: Security forces kill a terrorist, identified as Bilal Bhai of the HM, at Gagangeer village in the Srinagar district.

August 28: SF personnel arrest Mohammad Ashraf Parray alias Illyas alias Fayaz, a ‘district commander’ of the HM outfit, from Pulwama district.

Police arrests four top terrorists, including a co-ordinator of the LeT and HM outfits in Rajouri district in two separate incidents.

August 27: SF personnel kill a HM cadre during an encounter in the Ganderbal area of capital Srinagar.

August 24: The Special Operations Group of police in Jammu arrests three activists of the HM and JeM from Tikri on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway when they were shifting a Hawala consignment from Rajouri to Kashmir.

August 23: Security forces arrest an over ground worker of the HM outfit, identified as Mohammed Shafi, from village Kamliyan in the Rajouri district.

Police arrests a HM cadre and recover two hand grenades from a fish market in the Baramulla district.

The Union Government said that Pakistan’s external intelligence agency ISI continues to provide "directions" and "logistics" support to terrorist groups like the HM, LeT, JeM and Al-Badr for terrorist related activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

August 21: Security forces recover a consignment of explosives and ration, including 10 kg RDX, five grenades, five AK rounds and six quintals of ration, from a HM hideout at Sikri Top in the Doda district.

August 16: Two soldiers and a woman are wounded when terrorists ambushed a patrol party of the CRPF near Kanjikullah in the Anantnag district. The HM claims responsibility for the attack.

August 13: Mohammed Imran alias Furkan, a ‘district commander’ of the HM, is shot dead by the security forces at village Majar in the Doda district.

August 8: The Army rescues a 16-year old boy, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, from the captivity of HM outfit from Thanala forests in the Doda distict. Sheikh had been kidnapped by the HM from his residence on July 27 for recruitment in the outfit.

August 7: Two terrorists and a soldier are reportedly killed and three persons held hostages are rescued in a gun-battle at Shirpora in the Anantnag district. The encounter ensued as the SF personnel launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area after learning that HM terrorist Fayaz Ahmed Naikoo is present in the village along with two or three associates. As troops laid siege to the locality, the terrorists open gunfire and escape while breaking the cordon and killing two soldiers.

August 6: Two terrorists, including HM ‘Battalion Commander’ Muqeen Ahmed Rather alias Samiullah, are killed in a late night encounter at Kulgam in the Anantnag district.

August 1: A ‘District Commander’ of the HM outfit, Shafi Parray, is arrested from the Budgam district.

A HM ‘divisional commander’, Fayaz Ahmad Dar alias Saleem Khan, is arrested from Sopore in the Baramulla district.

Police arrest three more HM cadres, Riaz Ahmed, Zahid and Zahoor Din, at Thathri in the Doda district.

In Doda, a HM cadre is arrested from Gandoh minutes before he was to throw a grenade targeting the Manu police post.

July 31: 12 terrorists from four outfits, including the HM, surrender in the Baramulla district.

July 27: BSF personnel arrest a HM terrorist at Keller in South Kashmir district of Pulwama and acting on his information recovered 4,462 rounds of AK ammunition, one hand grenade, two magazines, one mobile phone and two SIM cards from his native village Kellar in same district.

Another HM terrorist Bashir Ahmad Mir is arrested from Sopore bus stand.

July 24: Baramulla District Police arrest a top commander of HM, identified as Fayaz Ahmed Dar alias Saleem Khan, from Narbal Crossing on Srinagar-Gulmarg and Srinagar-Baramulla Road.

SF personnel arrest two HM terrorists at Kreeri in Pattan.

July 22: Security forces arrest a HM cadre traveling along with a LeT terrorist, Mohammad Rafeeq Sheikh alias Mudasar Gujri alias Raju, at Chakla village on Baramulla-Langet Road from Baramulla last week.

July 21: SFs kill two suspected HM terrorists, identified as Bashir Ahmed Bhat and Javed Ahmed Dar, during an attack at a terrorist hideout at Wanpora Redwani in the Anantnag-Kulgam belt of south Kashmir.

India asks Pakistan to hand over Syed Salahuddin of the HM and the mafia leader Dawood Ibrahim as proof of its cooperation in the battle against terror.

A Special Police Officer, Irshad Ahmed, is arrested for his suspected links with HM in Chilli area of Gandoh.

July 18: A HM cadre, Mohd Shafi is killed by troops in an encounter at Jaghot Top forests in the Doda district.

July 17: Terrorists open firing on a Police party at Khar Rawa in Bhim Dass area of Gool. Following the exchange of firing, one local HM terrorist, Tariq alias Sadiq, is arrested by security forces.

July 16: Security forces arrest two suspected HM terrorists, Ghulam Mohammed and Mohammed Sadiq, from Gulabgarh in the Udhampur district.

July 15: Police foil an exfiltration bid at Lolab in the Kupwara district and arrest six persons, including two HM terrorists, identified as Ali Mohammed Kumar and Merajudin Khanday.

July 10: Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, head of the HM operations for Anantnag district, is shot dead in an encounter with the police at Kachhipora in the Anantnag district.

July 8: In an "inter-gang feud”, HuJI cadre is shot dead by HM terrorists in his house at Bhandarkoot in the Doda district.

SF personnel arrest five suspected militants comprising two each from Basantgarh and Thathri in the Udhampur and Doda districts respectively, including two HM cadres.

July 5: Security force personnel arrested a HM terrorist, identified as Qasim Ali.

July 4: Troops kill Sohail Afzal alias Ahmed Ali alias Ali Punjabi, a HM terrorist of Pakistani origin in an encounter at Gallandar in Pampore town on Srinagar-Jammu highway.

Police announce the arrest of Manzoor Ahmad Wani, the HM’s ‘divisional commander’ for central Kashmir. Wani, who operated under the code-name `Yunus' is the senior most HM operative to be apprehended in a decade.

July 3: Tanzeem Ahmed, a SPO, is abducted and killed by suspected HM terrorists with his eyes removed, ears chopped off, throat slit and private parts amputated at village Harni in Poonch district.

Police arrest a HM terrorist, identified as Samundar Khan. from Marmat in the Doda district.

June 30: A HM cadre, identified as Lal Deen Gujjar, is killed by troops in an encounter in the Kethan forest area near Aloosa in the Pulwama district.

June 28: A Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami terrorist, identified as Nazeer Hussain Dugi alias Basharat, is killed by a HM cadre in an internecine clash in the Kishtwar area of Doda district.

Rajouri Police neutralises a communication network being run by the HM and LeT outfits with the arrest of two persons. The disclosures made by them helped Police in identifying all mobile telephone numbers of the HM and LeT top leadership in Rajouri district and parts of Poonch district.

June 25: Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen claims that its ‘launching commander’ for Baramulla sector, Rashid Akhtar, is killed near the LoC along with two HM terrorists when they were going on an important mission and that bodies of the three were taken to Muzaffarabad in PoK.

Police arrest an injured terrorist of the HM outfit, Javed Ahmed Dar alias Shabeer, undergoing treatment after being injured in an encounter with the troops in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district, from the SMHS hospital in capital Srinagar. Four top terrorists, including of the HM, identified as Mohammed Rafiq (code Furkan Illahi) and Javed Ahmed alias Zahid, surrender along with their arms before the SFs in the Doda district.

June 24: Troops kill a ‘district commander’ of the HM, identified as Nissar Ahmed Sofi alias Tarabi, and his deputy Sarfraz Ahmad alias Safi, in an encounter at Mirbagh in the Pulwama district. An Army Captain, S.B. Singh, is killed and a soldier is injured in a separate encounter during subsequent cordon and search operation in the area following information that more terrorists were hiding in some houses.

A top HM cadre, Mohammed Yasin Pochoo surrenders before the SFs at Nachlana in the Ramban area.

Another top HM cadre, identified as Tariq Ahmed Bhat, surrenders before police in the Shopian area of Pulwama district.

June 20: A ‘deputy district commander’ of the HM outfit, identified as Farooq Ahmed Bhat alias Aaquib alias Junaid, is killed in an encounter with the SFs at Thathu hamlet in the Kund area of Anantnag district.

June 18: Troops kill a cadre of the HM outfit, identified as Ishrat Ali, in a gun-battle in the Bhadarwah tehsil of Doda district.

The HM strongly denies the police claim that it is involved in the killing of Nepali labourers. Reacting to the police chief's claim that three HM terrorists massacred the labourers at Bardoo-Kulgam, the HM spokesperson, Junaidul Islam, in a statement to a local news agency KNS describes the claim as baseless and far from reality.

June 17: Police arrest ten militants, including three HM cadres, involved in the recent car bombings and grenade attacks, including two on tourists, in the Valley. The three HM militants are arrested from Kulgam area of Anantnag district while they were carrying grenades to be lobbed in the town.

June 16: Police arrest an over ground worker of HM, Manzoor Ahmed, from camp number 446 on Pahalgam-Cave Yatra track in Sheshnag area along with his two accomplices.

June 14: Unidentified terrorists shot dead, a civilian, Pervez Ahmed Bhat, who was the brother-in-law of HM commander, Riyaz Ahmed Bhat alias Aftab, at Laroo in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

Rajouri district police arrest a Government teacher, identified as Mohd Amin, who had been extorting money from the people in the name of HM outfit using their posters and stamps. The Police also recover one stamp and one letterhead of HM 'area commander'.

June 13: Troops arrest a HM cadre, Sharafat Hussain, along with a wireless set in Rajouri district.

June 11: Police arrest a HM cadre, identified as Gulzar Hussain, from Rajouri Bus Stand along with one loaded revolver and Rupees 10,000 in cash.

June 8: Security forces arrest a HM cadre, identified as Mohammed Isaq, from Doda Bus Stand and at his instance the police recover 201 AK rounds, one wireless set and six magazines from Sheikhwan Beoli in Doda.

At Thanala in the Doda district, security forces rescue a HM recruit, Muzaffar Hussain who had sustained injuries in an encounter with the troops while he was being taken to a hide-out by the HM cadres.

June 7: Police arrest a Railway Engineer, working with IRCON, from Jammu city after it was found that the SIM card of a mobile telephone used by a HM cadre in Rajouri had been issued on his name.

June 6: SF personnel shot dead Mushtaq Ahmed Wani alias Khalid, a 'district commander' of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, in an encounter at Tulkhan hamlet in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag district.

Two HM cadres, Gulzar Ahmed alias Jaanbaz, a 'group commander' for Kohi and Mohammed Afzal Malik alias Atish Khan, a 'group commander' for Daram, surrender before the SFs in the Gool area of Udhampur district along with one AK-47 rifle, one AK-56 rifle, eight AK magazines, 240 rounds, one radio set, one mobile telephone, one bayonet, two pouches and a large quantity of other ammunition and explosives.

June 5: Security forces neutralize a terrorist hideout with the arrest of six cadres of the HM, including the nephew, Yasir, of senior PDP leader and former Minister of State for Health Abdul Gaffar Sofi, in south Kashmir during the last few days. This module of young and indoctrinated terrorists had conducted an attack on senior National Conference leader, Ali Mohammad Nayak, at Tral in Pulwama district and, among other operations, planned to kill senior police officer Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari.

June 3: A 'tehsil commander' of HM, identified as Iftikhar Ahmad Kilu alias Iftasa alias Ghazanvi, is killed by Army and police personnel in an encounter at Thanala in the Doda district.

June 1: A HM cadre, identified as Bilal Ahmed alias Usman of Pakistan, is killed in an encounter with the troops during an ambush at village Yaripora in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

The Police recover a bullet-ridden body of a former HM cadre, Azad Ahmad Bhat, from his Muradpora village in the Pulwama district.

May 30: Two terrorists, identified as Hafiz Mohammed Irfan alias Janbaz of Maharashtra and Mohammed Ashraf alias Asif of Tral, suspected to be involved in the attack on former minister Ali Mohammed Naik, are killed in an encounter with the SF personnel at Trumbal Tral in the Pulwama district. They reportedly belonged to the HM outfit and were.

May 29: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen HM cadre, Abdul Qayoom alias Javed Iqbal, surrenders before the security forces at Reasi in the Udhampur district.

May 26: Police said that three cadres of the Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami outfit are shot dead by HM cadres in inter-gang rivalry at Lohi Dhar in the Kishtwar area of Doda district.

SF personnel kill Munawwar Shah, a top wanted cadre of the HM, in an encounter at Veersaran in the Anantnag-Pahalgam area of south Kashmir. He had been operating since 1994 and is estimated to be involved in scores of attacks on SFs and mainstream politicians besides killing over 25 civilians.

May 23: A few hours ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the Kashmir Valley to convene a roundtable conference in the capital Srinagar, a suicide bomber blew himself up as a patrol party of the BSF passed Hyderpora colony, just a couple of kilometers away from Srinagar Airport injuring at least 25 BSF personnel. According to official sources, the suicide bomber triggered an explosive laden car near Hyderpora airport road and besides killing himself, also injured at least 25 BSF personnel. The HM claims responsibility for the attack.

Police arrests a woman cadre of the HM outfit, identified as Rubeena, wife of Shakeel Ahmed, from Beri Bagh in the Doda district.

May 21: Hizb-ul-Mujahideen 'supreme commander' and chairman of the Muttahida Jihad Council (MJC) Syed Salahuddin is reported to have said that explosions from Karachi to Neelum valley and the present insurgency in Balochistan and North Waziristan are conspiracies of the Indian intelligence and its military. Addressing the Shan-e-Mustafa conference at Kasur in Punjab, he warned if Pakistan showed any kind of retreat or leniency on Kashmir issue at this critical stage, it would destabilise Pakistan because Jihad in Kashmir has entered a decisive stage and showing cowardice would provide an opportunity for Indian forces to infiltrate Balochistan and Waziristan. Criticising the Pakistani Government policy towards India, Salahuddin said Pakistan is fostering friendly relations with India in every field but contrary to this India is responding in shape of intervening in Balochistan and North West Frontier Province.

May 19: Security forces arrest two top HM terrorists, including a Pakistani, from Doda town when they were planning to carry out yet another attack on minorities.

MAY 16: Four top HM terrorists, including 'tehsil commander' Arshad Gujjar, are killed in an encounter with the troops at Akhran in the Banihal area of Doda district.

May 12: Security forces arrest four over ground workers of the HM outfit along with a Chinese pistol and a mobile phone at Shopian in the Pulwama district.

A cadre of the HM outfit surrender before the Army at Bandipora in the Baramulla district.

May 9: SFs carry out various raids in Bijbehara after securing information from a diary of top HM 'commander' Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat alias Gowhar alias Aijaz, who was killed during an encounter at Nooripur in the Pulwama district on May 7. The troops recovered 24 remote controls of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 28 kilograms of assorted explosives, two electric detonators, ten pencil cells, two dry batteries, three ball bearing packets, 40 plastic boxes to house IEDs, one wire cutter, one soldering iron, soldering wire bundles, six radio sets and one rifle silencer.

May 7: SF personnel in the Noorpora village of Pulwama district kill the 'district commander' of the HM, Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat alias Gowhar. He was the most wanted terrorists of the districts and had been operating since 1990 and he was responsible for over 50 killings and a large number of bomb blasts in central Kashmir. Gowhar had been appointed as HM 'district commander' for Anantnag after the most wanted Shabir Bidaoori was killed in an encounter with the Army in 2005.

May 6: A 'battalion commander' of the HM outfit, identified as Abid alias Dina, is killed in an encounter with the security forces at village Fidapur in the Baramulla district.

May 4: Troops arrest an Over Ground Worker of the terrorists, identified as Lala, from village Kholi in the Gool area of Udhampur district. He was arrested on information given by a surrendered cadre of the HM outfit, identified as Mukhtar Ahmed.

May 3: Police recover the dead body of one Rayees Ahmed Baba, brother of a HM cadre Mohammad Yusuf Baba, currently in a jail in Jammu since 2005, from the Rajpora area of Pulwama district.

The Inspector General of Police, K. Rajendra Kumar, informs in Srinagar 3 that the police are planning to launch a major legal battle against terrorists operating from across the border. "We plan to approach Interpol to issue red card notices against top militant leaders, including chairman of United Jehad Council and supremo of Hizbul Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin and Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed now in Pakistan," said Kumar. He also said the wanted leaders also included JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar and Al-Umar Mujahideen chief Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar.

May 2: A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen HM cadre, Khursheed Ahmed alias Muneeb, is shot dead by cadres of the Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami in a case of inter-gang feud at Bhandarkoot in the Thathri area of Doda district.

April 29: A 'battalion commander' of the HM, Bilal Ahmed Dar alias Mustafa, is killed by troops during a raid at Sambora on Srinagar-Pulwama Road. According to official sources, Bilal was involved in over 20 civilian killings in areas under Pulwama, Pampore and Awantipore police stations.

April 25: Troops kill a HM 'group commander', identified as Mohamed Maqbool alias Tanveer, at Sumbar in the Gool area of Udhampur district.

April 24: A 'group commander' of the HM outfit, identified as Qamar Din, is killed in an encounter with Police at Deval in the Udhampur district.

April 23: SFs shot dead a 'tehsil commander' of the HM, identified as Zubair Ahmed alias Billa alias Paswan, at village Sharekhi in the Doda district.

An activist of the HM outfit, Nazir Ahmed Jehangir, is killed along with a 'group commander' of the LeT by the troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Mahore police at village Deval in the Gulabgarh area of Udhampur district.

April 20: Troops killed a cadre of the HM, who sought refugee inside a mosque after attacking the troops at Babagund Akoora village in Anantnag district.

April 19: Two civilians, including village headman Haji Mohammed Sharif, are abducted from their houses and subsequently killed by two terrorists near their houses at Sildhar in the Gool area of Udhampur district. The terrorists escaped after the killings leaving behind a letter head of the HM outfit signed by Abu Sufiyan, a ‘commander’, which said the civilians were killed for being a village headman and informer of the security forces.

The Army arrests three cadres of the HM, Nissar Dar, Jahangir Khan and Mehraj, from the Baramulla district along with three hand grenades, one pistol along with one magazine, five rounds and a radio set.

April 17: Security forces arrest 10 cadres of the HM from the Sopore and Pattan localities in Baramulla district.

A HM cadre, Mohammed Bashir, surrenders before the troops at village Jaglanu in the Rajouri district.

Rajouri Police have detained Choudhary Bashir Ahmed, headman of village Sam Samad, for his alleged links with Aijaz Ahmed Zakki, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment ‘financial commander’, who had surrendered before police a fortnight back.

April 14: SFs shot dead three HM cadres, including a ‘deputy district commander’ and ‘section commander’ Mohammed Ayub Rather, in an encounter at village Machar in the Doda district. Two soldiers are wounded during the encounter.

SFs arrest two persons, Abdul Gani and Niyamat-ullah, for giving shelter to three top HM terrorists, including two ‘commanders’, who were killed by the Army at Bhagwa in Doda district.

April 12: An Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Intelligence Bureau, Vinod Kumar, is killed while two police personnel were wounded in a terrorist attack near Tral in the Pulwama district. The HM claims responsibility for the attack.

April 11: Two cadres affiliated to the HM have reportedly surrendered to the army near the Line of Control in the Uri sector of Baramulla district.

Police arrests a HM cadre, Javed Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Thuroo in Udhampur district, who was studying Veterinary Science in a local institute at Talab Tillo in the outskirts of Jammu City for his involvement in running the outfit’s network in that area.

April 10: A HM cadre, identified as Fayaz Ahmed Bhat, is killed in an encounter with the SFs in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

April 9: Terrorists shot dead three members of a family, including two brothers, at village Challad in the Udhampur district. A woman, Rashida Begum, wife of Ghulam Mohammad, who was among the three persons killed, had been openly canvassing against the HM in the area as her brother Showkat Hussain was missing for last two years and was reported to have been forcibly recruited as a cadre by the outfit. J. L. Sharma of the Udhampur police said a letter was recovered from the site of killings, which had been written and signed by HM ‘divisional commander’ Mohammed Sharief alias Hikmatyar. Written in Urdu, it said the persons adopting "double standards" will be treated "like this".

Police neutralised a mobile communication network of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment with the recovery of four mobile telephones with BSNL SIM cards. A mobile number being used by the outfit’s ‘district commander’ Abdullah Inqullabi in Rajouri has also been identified.

April 8: The Army arrested a top functionary of the HM, identified as ‘financial controller’ Mohammed Shafi Sheikh alias Ali Mohammed alias Alia, from village Doru in the Baramulla district.

April 4: Aijaz Ahmed Zakki, an advocate-cum-village headman, who was operating as ‘financial commander’ of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment, surrendered before the police in Rajouri district.

April 2: The Rajouri district police neutralises a network of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment with the arrest of three persons, including two Government employees.

April 1: A HM terrorist, Tanveer Sheikh, is arrested while trying to attack SF personnel in the Darsu village of Baramulla district.

Another Hizb cadre, identified as Javed Ahmed Lone, is arrested from Arigam village in the Budgam district.

March 31: One personnel of the CRPF, Head Constable Madan Singh, is killed and five others sustained injuries when terrorists triggered an IED at Soura in the capital Srinagar. The HM claimed responsibility for the attack.

March 30: A HM cadre, Bashir Ahmed Malla, is killed during an encounter with the SF personnel at Kallipora in the Shopian area of Pulwama district.

March 29: Delhi Police arrests Meharuddin alias Javed alias Abib, an 'area commander' of the HM, from Azadpur market in north Delhi along with two kilograms of RDX, a detonator and a pistol.

A top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen cadre (code named Ghazanavi) is shot dead and his associate, Bashir Ahmed Rather alias Moin Khan, is arrested by the SF personnel in an encounter at Pasar in the Doda district.

Two HM cadres, identified as Javed and Abdul Hamid, surrender before the Army at Bhimber Gali in the Poonch district.

March 28: The Special Operations Group of Pulwama district police neutralises a network of the HM and arrest a top Hizb ‘commander’ Manzoor, along with his seven over-ground associates and a huge cache of arms and ammunition.

The Tank police near South Waziristan in Pakistan have reportedly arrested three cadres of the HM carrying explosives and ammunition.

March 26: SF personnel arrested Amanat Ali and Mohammed Saleem, two cadres of the HM outfit, from Bhatindi in Jammu. They were reportedly in direct contact with a Hizb ‘commander’ based at Shakargarh in Pakistan’s Sialkot district. A number of important documents and stamps of the outfit were recovered from their possession.

March 21: SFs kill a top ‘commander’ of the HM, identified as Mohammed Rafiq, at Rajpora in the Pulwama district.

March 20: Two HM terrorists, Farooq Ahmed Chopan alias Haroon and Shabir Ahmed Rather alias Raja Bhai, are killed in an encounter with the security forces (SFs) at Shahnagari Handwara in the Kupwara district.

March 19: A HM cadre, Sayed Ullah alias Khandari, is arrested during a search operation by the police at Deharan in the Doda district.

March 18: Nine soldiers and a woman are injured in a powerful car bomb blast at Rawalpora in the capital Srinagar. The HM claimed responsibility for the attack.

A hardcore HM cadre, Qutab Din, surrendered before the Army and police at Balakote in the Mendhar area of Poonch district.

March 16: The parents-in-law of a HM cadre, identified as Mohammed Amin Malik alias Yasin, who had surrendered on February 10, 2006 in Doda, are shot dead by two terrorists in their house at Bhajja in the Thathri area of Doda district.

Police arrested a suspected HM terrorist, identified as Ghulam Mohammed, from a bus at Kud while he was traveling from Doda to Jammu.

March 11: Two cadres of the HM, Sheeraz Ahmed Wagay and Mushtaq Ahmed Mir alias Charlie, are killed during an encounter with the security forces at Machoo Yaripora village in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

Terrorists hang a man, Imtiyaz Ahmed Bhat, to death after abducting him from Ganderbal in the Srinagar district. The HM claimed responsibility for the killing alleging that Imtiyaz was an Army informer. Imtiyaz's father Abdul Ahad was killed in a similar way by suspected terrorists in 2005.

Authorities in PoK are reported to have arrested eight terrorists in Muzaffarabad, including Mohammad Yousuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin, chief of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and chairman of the United Jehad Council.

March 8: A cadre of the HM, identified as Shaheen Bhai of Pakistan, is killed by the troops during an operation in the Ganderbal-Kangan area of Srinagar district.

Shabeer alias Majid, a HM ‘district commander’, along with eight other terrorists are reported to have surrendered at Badami Bagh Cantonment in the capital Srinagar.

March 5: A ‘district commander’ of the HM, Mohammed Taj alias Pahalwan, surrenders before the security forces in Poonch district.

February 28: Two HM cadres, Ghulam Mohammed Malla alias Ayaz and Showkat Lone, are killed in an encounter with the SFs at Drabgam in the Pulwama district. Two soldiers are injured in the incident.

February 27: An HM ‘district commander’, identified as Aashiq Hussain Peer, is killed in an encounter with the troops in the Hadipora area of Baramulla district.

February 25: A young woman, Tasleen Akhter, is shot dead by terrorists in her house, few weeks after her fiancée, Tahir Ahmed, is beheaded, at village Sarhuti in the Poonch district. Official sources say that an HM cadre has also wanted to marry Tasleen. Terrorists have abducted and subsequently beheaded Tahir Ahmed on February 4-night.

February 24: SFs kill two HM terrorists, including ‘deputy district commander’ Mohammed Rafiq Khanday, during an encounter at village Kuchhal in Chatru area of Doda district. A Special Police Officer is also injured in the exchange of fire. Recoveries made from the slain terrorists include one AK-47 rifle, four magazines, five rounds, two Motorola radio sets, one binocular and one dictaphone.

February 23: Police arrests an HM cadre, Mushtaq Ahmed alias Zuber, from village Kuchhal in the Doda district along with two hand grenades. They also arrested another Hizb cadre, Mohammed Sharief, from Gosna in the same district. Two hand grenades are recovered from his possession.

February 22: Two terrorists are shot dead by the troops in an encounter at Gujjar Narh in the Surankote area of Poonch district. They were identified as Abu Irfan, an ‘area commander’ of the HM, and Zaffar Iqbal alias Sera-3, a cadre of the HM. One AK-56 rifle with nine magazines and 80 rounds, one AK-47 rifle, two mobile phones, one dictaphone, three hand grenades, two radio sets, one mobile charger, rubber stamps of Surankote Magistrate and Rs 2002 in Indian currency besides cassette player, camera roll and photographs are recovered from the incident site.

February 20: SF personnel kill two HM cadres in a gun-battle at Sagipora in the Sopore area of Baramulla district. Preliminary reports said that the duo was identified as Ali Mohammad and Aamir. Two AK-56 rifles and a couple of hand grenades are recovered from the incident site.

February 17: A Special Police Officer, Wali Mohammed, is shot dead by two terrorists, affiliated to the HM Pir Panjal Regiment, at his house in the remote village of Panglar in Rajouri district.

February 12: Three HM cadres are arrested from the Srinagar, Anantnag and Pulwama districts along with some arms and ammunition during separate raids.

February 11: SFs kill two HM cadres, identified as Manzoor Ahmed and Jameel Ahmed, in an encounter at village Mohanbaas in the Doda district. However, another cadre managed to escape towards a surrounding forest area. One AK rifle, two magazines, two hand grenades and one wireless set are recovered from the incident site.

February 10: Two HM cadres, one of whom is operating since 1994 and another since 2000, surrendered before the police in Doda district. They were identified as Mohammed Amin alias Yasin, a ‘tehsil commander’ of the outfit and Altaf Hussain. They hand over two AK-56 rifles, six magazines, 174 AK rounds and two Motorola wireless sets at the time of surrender.

February 6: An HM cadre, Irfan Ahmad Lone, surrenders before the police at Wusan in the capital Srinagar.

February 4: SFs kill a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, Bashir Ahmed Mir alias Ganja alias Salman, during an encounter at village Chittibandi in the Bandipore area of Baramulla district. One AK-56 rifle, six magazines and 51 rounds are recovered from the incident site.

February 3: An HM cadre, Zafar Iqbal, surrenders before the SFs at Balakote in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district. He handed over one AK-47 rifle, one magazine, five rounds and two grenades at the time of surrender.

February 2: Two HM terrorists, ‘tehsil commander’ Mohammed Farooq alias Gulshan and Adnan Choudhary alias Tahir Kashmiri, are shot dead by the Army at Thannamandi in the Rajouri district. Two AK rifles, two hand grenades and two magazines are recovered from them.

February 1: Two HM terrorists, including ‘battalion commander’ Hilal Ahmad Magray and his deputy Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, are killed in an encounter with the police at Pattan in Baramulla district. One AK assault rifle, one pistol and four magazines with ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

January 31: Four HM cadres, including a Personal Security Officer of a National Conference leader, are arrested from the Bhaderwah and Ramban areas of Doda district along with some arms and explosives.

January 29: Two HM cadres, Rasheed Gujjar and Juma, are killed during an encounter that ensued after SFs launch a cordon-and-search operation at Ladi hamlet in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district.

January 29: SFs arrest an HM cadre along with a pistol, one magazine and eight rounds from the Qazigund area of Anantnag district. Two more HM cadres are arrested from the Tral area of Pulwama district along with two grenades and some incriminating documents.

January 27: Unidentified terrorists lob a hand grenade towards a paramilitary unit near Amirakadal in the Civil Lines area of capital Srinagar. However, there is no loss of life reported. The HM claims responsibility for the attack.

January 27: Official sources said that two senior HM cadres surrendered at the district headquarters in Anantnag. They were identified as ‘company commander’ Mushtaq Ahmed Haroo alias Adil of Pushwara and ‘section commander’ Zahoor Ahmed Itoo alias Saahil of Dooru.

January 26: Two HM cadres are arrested during a search operation in the Pampore area of Pulwama district.

January 25: A soldier and an HM cadre are killed during a search operation at Badipora Dadsar in the Tral area of Pulwama district. Elsewhere in the district, another HM cadre, Mukhtar Ahmed Loray alias Usama, is found dead at Chawan in the Kellar area. Officials describe it as an incident of "group clash".

January 24: Four rockets are recovered from the detained relative of a HM cadre, Parveena, at Bijbehara in the Anantnag district. Parveena, whose brother and brother-in-law are HM cadres, is taken into custody along with her mother-in-law Khadeeja.

January 22: SF personnel recover the dead body of a HM cadre, Mohammed Sain, from the Gandoh area of Doda district. He is suspected to have been killed by the LeT.

January 22: An HM ‘deputy tehsil commander’, Abdul Hamid Malik alias Rehtul Islam, surrenders before the Army at Thathri in the Doda district along with one AK-56 rifle, two magazines, 50 rounds, one walkie-talkie, one Chinese grenade and one pouch.

January 21: Two HM cadres, Asif Mohd Bhat alias Umar Jan and Mohammed Ashraf Chichi alias Kesar Gul, surrender before the Army at Thathri in the Doda district. The duo also hand over one AK rifle, three magazines and 60 rounds, one wireless set, one UBGL gun and five hand grenades.

January 20: Three HM cadres, including two ‘section commanders’ Safdar Hussain Magray alias Tahir Inqullabi and Taskeen Ahmed, surrender before the SFs at Thathri in the Doda district. They also hand over one Pika gun with one box full of magazines and 267 rounds, one AK-47 rifle with three magazines and 40 rounds, one Chinese pistol with one magazine and four rounds, one .303 rifles with one magazine and 40 rounds, one rocket, one I Com radio set, one walkie-talkie and three Chinese hand grenades.

January 18: Two senior HM cadres surrender before security forces after an encounter at Tanta under the jurisdiction of Gandoh police station in Doda district.

January 15: An HM ‘district commander’, Farid Ahmed, is killed by the Army at Chalala Chaba in the Chanderkoot area of Doda district while his associate, Bashir Ahmed, is arrested. One AK rifle, one pistol, 20 Ak rounds and one wireless set are recovered from the incident site.

January 15: An HM ‘section commander’, Imtiyaz Ahmed Mir, is shot dead by his associates at village Kither in the Kishtwar area of Doda district.

January 11: Troops kill two cadres of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment in an encounter at Salwa in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. One soldier is wounded during the incident. Two AK rifles, four magazines and four hand grenades are recovered from the terrorists.

January 10:Two HM terrorists, including an ‘area commander’, are killed by the troops during an encounter at village Batugra in the Thathri area of Doda district. Senior Superintendent of Police (Doda), Prithvi Raj Manhas, informed that the slain HM cadres are identified as Atta Mohammed (code name Hafeez), an ‘area commander’ and Mukhtiar Ahmed (code name Naveed). One AK-47 rifle, one self-loading rifle, two AK magazines, one magazine and some documents are recovered from the incident site.

January 10: An HM network, planning strikes in the Jammu City on or before Republic Day on January 26, is neutralised by the Jammu Police and Special Operations Group with the arrest of three terrorists.

January 9: A front ranking HM cadre, Shareef-ud-Din Khan alias Zaffar, wanted in many terrorism-related incidents and active for the last 15 years in south Kashmir, is killed in an encounter with the troops at Sangam village in the Achabal area of Anantnag district. An AK rifle and some ammunition are recovered from his possession.

January 7: An HM ‘section commander’, identified as Aijaz Ahmed Keemu alias Adil, surrenders before the Army at Bhaderwah in the Doda district. He hands over two Chinese grenades at the time of surrender.

January 3: HM ‘section commander’, Abdul Karim, surrenders before the security forces in Doda district along with one AK rifle, three magazines, 70 rounds and one wireless set.

January 1: SFs arrest an HM cadre, Nazir Ahmad Regu, from his house at Khrew in the Pulwama district. Three hand grenades and 25 AK rounds are recovered from his possession.

2005

December 25: Troops of Rashtriya Rifles kill a HM cadre, Bashir Ahmed Tantray, during an encounter in the Dooru area of Anantnag district.

December 24: A ‘divisional commander’ and a ‘section commander’ of the HM surrenders before SFs along with a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including a wireless set which had direct communication with Pakistan installations, in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. They were identified as Farooq Ahmed Sheikh alias Wasim alias Sakib alias Khalid, a ‘divisional commander’, and Abdul Mohammed Hafiz Bhat alias Hekmatyar, a ‘section commander’ of the outfit.

December 21: A top-level cadre of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment, Javed Mohammed, is arrested from village Kasbrari in the Mendhar area of Poonch district.

December 19: Four HM cadres are arrested from the Pulwama district.

December 16: Two terrorists and a soldier are killed in an encounter at Gurnuwali in the Darhal area of Rajouri district. One of the slain terrorists is suspected to be Sangar Pathan, a ‘divisional commander’ of the HM, who is allegedly involved in more than 25 killings in the Rajouri-Poonch sectors.

December 14: Six HM terrorists are killed in an encounter with the SFs at Pati Poshkar village in the Khag Beerwah area of Budgam district. Among those killed are two top-level HM cadres, Showket Ahmed Ganie alias Janbaz, a ‘district commander’, and Mohammad Sultan Bhat alias Usman, a ‘battalion commander’.

December 14: Liaquat Ali, a class eight student, was kidnapped and subsequently shot dead by HM terrorists after his refusal to join their ranks at Tanta in the Gandoh area of Doda district.

December 13: Police arrests two HM cadres, Mehraj-ud-din Sheikh and Mohammed Yousuf, and seize one pistol, one grenade launcher, one rocket booster, one remote control device and three rifle grenades from them.

December 10:  Police arrest two HM cadres from the Baramulla district and recover one Insas rifle, one AK rifle, a wireless set, eight grenades and some ammunition rounds.

December 9: Three grenades, 124 AK rounds, 108 SLR rounds and a large quantity of ration are recovered from an HM hideout at Kewar near Kishtwar in the Doda district.

December 5: An HM cadre, identified as Mohammed Shafi Bhat, is shot dead by SFs at Bijbehara in the Anantnag district.

December 2: HM militants abduct five members of the Village Defence Committee (VDC) from Tehwan village in the Samot area of Rajouri district. While one of the abducted persons manages to escape, four others are subsequently released. The militants, however, snatched four rifles and ammunition from the VDC members and set on fire the house of one of the members.

December 1: An HM cadre, Mohammad Anwar Lone, is killed by the troops at Hapathnar village in the Anantnag district. Some arms and ammunition are recovered from him.

November 30: An HM ‘section commander’, Mohammed Iqbal Sohail alias Yasir, surrenders at Sarbagni near Banihal in the Doda district. He hands over one AK rifle, three magazines, 91 rounds and one hand grenade at the time of surrender.

November 29: Police arrests Ashiq Hussain War alias Ameer, a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, from Handwara in the Kupwara district along with one AK rifle, two magazines, 60 rounds of ammunition and two hand grenades.

November 28: An HM cadre is arrested from the Rajpora area in Pulwama district. A hand grenade is recovered from his possession. Further, two HM cadres, Zubair Ahmed Bhat alias Shabir and Maktoor Ahmed alias Owais Tauheed, surrender before the Army at Dachan in the Gool area of Udhampur district. They hand over one AK-56 rifle with four magazines and 110 rounds, one I Com radio set, three grenades, one pistol with three magazines and 18 rounds at the time of surrender. Later, they take the Army to a HM hideout at Mahakund in the Gool area from where troops recover one Pika gun, 90 rounds, 220 AK rounds, 823 rounds of 7.62mm, 255 Insas rounds and two grenade launchers.

November 26: Six HM terrorists, including three from Rajouri, two from Bandipore and one from Rafiabad in Baramulla district surrender before the Army.

November 23: An HM ‘district commander’, Farooq Ahmed Nak alias Irfan Laddoo, is shot dead by the Army during an encounter at village Dewal in the Udhampur district. Two associates of Farooq, however, escape during the encounter. Recoveries made from the possession of Farooq include one AK-47 rifle, one Thoraya satellite telephone, two AK magazines, six rounds, one I Com radio set, one digital diary, one binocular, 500 grams explosives, one HM letter pad and Rupees 856.

November 23: Three HM cadres, Tariq Ahmed, Noor Mohamed and Abdul Gaffar, surrender before the troops at Peer Badesar in the Rajouri district. Two of them hail from Doda district and one from Kupwara.

November 20: An ‘area commander’ of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment, Mubassaq Bashir, is shot dead by the SFs at Pathana Teer in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. One AK-74 rifle, four magazines, 79 rounds, one I Com radio set, two hand grenades and one diary are recovered from his possession.

November 18: Security forces arrest an HM cadre during a search operation at Tral in the Pulwama district along with one AK rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition.

November 17: A group of HM terrorists shot dead two civilians, both cousins, in their house at village Lancha in the Gool area of Udhampur district.

November 15: Taj Pahalwan, a top ranking ‘commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment, escapes during an encounter with the SFs at Hastiban Aliabad in the Surankote area of Poonch district.

November 13: Border Security Force (BSF) personnel shot dead two HM terrorists, Shah Jahan and Mohammed Dillawar, at village Gambhiri in the Gool area of Udhampur district. One AK rifle with two magazines and 50 rounds, one INSAS rifle with two magazines and 35 rounds, Rupees 1100 in Indian currency, one hand grenade and two pouches are recovered from the incident site.

November 12: Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles killed two HM cadres, Ghulam Hassan Khan alias Hilal and Gulzar Ahmed Mir alias Sikandar, during an encounter at Raipora in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. A soldier, Ranjit Singh, and a 16-year-old student, Aijaz Ahmed Dar, are also killed in the encounter and three civilians while a Major sustained injuries.

November 9: HM terrorists target Commanding Officer of the BSF 53 Battalion on the Awantipore-Tral road when his motorcade is returning to Tral from Awantipore. A powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast occurs but none in the convoy is hurt.

November 8: A SPO, Mushtaq Ahmed, is abducted from his house at village Barno in the Doda district and subsequently killed in captivity at Gawardi forests by two HM terrorists.

November 7: A ‘district commander’ of the HM, Shahnawaz Ahmed alias Nika Taxi, is killed by SFs near Kalipora in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

November 5: An HM cadre is arrested at Makarkot in the Doda district.

November 2: Two HM terrorists, Fayaz Naseem and Itfaq Ahmed, are shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at Marhoon in the Gandoh area of Doda district. One self loading rifle, two magazines, 33 rounds, one diary, one Motorola wireless set and three Chinese hand grenades are recovered from the incident site.

November 2: Jammu Police arrests an HM cadre, Gulzar Ahmed Wani, from Bhatindi and recovered one AK-47 rifle from his possession. Wani was a close associate of Khalid, a Hizb ‘commander’, and is suspected to be involved in a bomb blast case at Kulgam in the Anantnag district.

October 31: Two suspects are arrested by the Rashtriya Rifles from village Ganeti in the Doda district for helping HM terrorists, who have ambushed an Army team at Ganeti on October 26 killing two soldiers. They were identified as Rafiq Ahmed Mir and Mohd Yusuf, both residents of Ganeti.

October 30: An HM ‘tehsil commander’, Farid Ahmed Malik alias Harish, is killed in an encounter with the troops at Tandla in the Gandoh area of Doda district. While two of his associates manage to escape, one .303 rifle, two magazines and some ammunition were recovered from the incident site.

October 30: One HM cadre is killed by the SFs at Dungi Maragh in the Surankote area of Poonch district. One AK-47 rifle, three magazines and a wireless set are recovered from the incident site.

October 27: SF personnel arrest an HM over-ground worker from the Anantnag district and recover five kilograms of RDX and two AK magazines from him.

October 27: Police arrest Liaquat, a Special Police Officer-turned HM cadre, from Gandoh in the Doda district and recover two Self Loading Rifles from his possession.

October 26: A soldier is killed and 30 persons, including 10 civilians, sustain injuries when terrorists triggered an IED targeting a bus of the BSF at Omarabad near Lawaypora, on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. A HM spokesperson, Junaid-ul-Islam, said that his outfit triggered the blast.

October 25: Mushtaq Ahmed, a constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (6th Battalion), is arrested for allegedly working as an active HM militant. He is involved in the killing of a SF informer and a grenade attack in Kishtwar on August 15, 2005 besides other subversive activities.

October 24: Two HM terrorists, ‘tehsil commander’ Mohammed Sultan Ganja and Atta Mohammed alias Irfan, are killed and another surrenders while two soldiers are wounded during an encounter at Chakka Sarbaghni in the Banihal area of Doda district.

October 21: A ‘tehsil commander’ of the HM, Abdul Hamid alias Sher Khan, and a soldier are killed in an encounter at Khari in the Banihal area of Doda district. Two associates of Khan, however, manage to escape taking cover of the forest area. One AK rifle, four magazines, 91 rounds, one plastic compass, one binocular, seven letter pads of HuJI, three letter pads of the HM (Chenab division), rubber stamps of HM ‘battalion commander’ Aashiq and one mobile telephone are recovered from the incident site.

October 20: Two HM terrorists, including ‘district commander’ Abdul Majeed alias Shamsheer, are shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at Thannamandi in the Rajouri district. Two AK-47 rifles, four magazines and one wireless set are recovered from the incident site.

October 18: SFs have shot dead a HM terrorist at village Hella in the Ramban area of Doda district.

October 15: Two HM cadres are killed in a gun-battle with the troops at Pushwar on the outskirts of capital Srinagar. Two AK rifles and a wireless set are recovered from the incident site.

October 15: HM cadres, Noor Hussain, Mehmood Khan and Abdur Rasheed Chichi, die in an encounter with the SFs at Chuntiwari Aloosa in the Bandipore area of Baramulla district.

October 15: Mohammed Ashraf alias Hanfi, a tehsil (administrative subdivision) ‘commander’ of the HM, is killed while two of his associates are arrested from the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. Two Chinese hand grenades, one grenade launcher, one Motorola radio set and some medicines are recovered from the incident site.

October 12: Unidentified gunmen kill a former HM ‘commander’, Fayaz Ahmad Dar alias Fayaz Kandroo, at Sopore in the Baramulla district.

October 10: Ten persons belonging to four families are killed by HM terrorists at Dhara and Gabbar in the Budhal area of Rajouri district.

October 9: An HM cadre, Amin alias Arshad, is arrested by the SFs along with two grenades in Kishtwar.

October 6: The son of a former HM cadre, Riyaz Ahmed, is shot dead by a group of terrorists in his residence at Ratnipora in the Pulwama district.

October 6: HM cadre Shafkat Ahmed is killed by the security forces during an operation in the Gandoh area of Doda district.

October 5: Three members of a family are shot dead by two HM terrorists in their house at village Gumeri in the Gool area of Udhampur district.

October 5: SFs kill an HM ‘deputy district commander" of the Pir Panjal Regiment, Sofian Gaznabi, at Khadoon in the Kandi area of Rajouri district. One AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 40 rounds and one damaged wireless set are recovered from the incident site.

October 5: SF personnel killed a hardcore HM terrorist, Liaquat Ali, during an encounter at village Tessa in the Gandoh area of Doda district. Another Hizb cadre, identified as Javed Iqbal, surrenders after the encounter and hands over one AK-47 rifle and some ammunition.

October 2: An HM  ‘operational commander’, Abdul Rashid Gujjar, is killed by the SFs during an encounter at village Bismai Karamulla Top in the Pulwama district. One of his associates, identified as Mushtaq Gujjar, is arrested after he is wounded in the gunfight. One AK rifle, five magazines, 122 AK ammunition rounds, one hand grenade and two electronic detonators are recovered from the incident site.

October 2: A Class 11 female student is arrested along with an HM ‘divisional commander’, Masood Ahmed alias Yaqoob, in Doda district. 23-year old Rubina Bano was in close contact with top Hizb ‘commanders’ and was allegedly instrumental in shifting cash consignments and important messages of the outfit’s commanders to their cadre, said Prithvi Raj Manhas, Senior Superintendent of Police.

October 2: Two HM cadres, Shabir Ahmed alias Irfan and Mohammed Anjeel Shah, surrender before the Sui Gawari Army Garrison Commander in Doda district. They hand over two AK-47 rifles, four magazines, 150 rounds and a Motorola radio set to the SFs.

September 30: HM ‘section commander’ Mohammed Yusuf alias Umar Farooq and one of his unidentified associates are killed during an encounter with the SFs at village Bhargi in the Doda district. One AK-56 rifle, four hand grenades and two pouches are recovered from the incident site.

September 30: A self-styled HM commander, Ibrahim Dar, is killed in an encounter with the troops at Lawaypora on the Srinagar-Tangmarg road. Another terrorist is killed by the SFs at Handwara in the Kupwara district. However, one of his associates manages to escape from the incident site.

September 30: An HM cadre, Mushtak Ahmed Gujjar alias Irfan Bhai, is arrested by the Army at Darshipura in the Banihal area of Doda district. Further, SFs neutralise five terrorist hideouts in the Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch districts and recover large caches of arms, ammunition and explosives.

September 29: SFs kill four terrorists, including a HM cadre, in a nine-hour-long encounter at Chak-e-Natnusa in the Kupwara district. Four assault rifles and four magazines are seized from the incident site.

September 29: An HM ‘platoon commander’, Ibrahim Dar, is arrested from the Batmaloo area of Srinagar.

September 28: Security forces arrest an HM cadre, identified as Zakir Hussain, from village Kaira in the Gandoh area of Doda district. A wireless set is recovered from his possession. Separately, another Hizb cadre, Mohammed Ayub, surrenders before Brig. A. K. Bakshi, Commander Poonch Garrison, along with an AK-47 rifle and a pistol.

September 26: Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles kill an HM  ‘section commander’, identified as Mohammed Hussain alias Abu Abrar, at Kanau in the Doda district. However, one of his associates escapes during the gun-battle.

September 25: The Army arrests an HM cadre, Farooq Bhat, at Bachraw in the Doda district after an encounter with a group of terrorists, two of whom escape during the gun-battle. One grenade launcher, one pouch, two magazines and 10 AK rounds are recovered from the incident site. Separately, another HM cadre, Mohammed Aslam, is arrested by the BSF from village Dhamkund in the Udhampur district. Two Chinese grenades, one AK magazine, one grenade launcher and two packets of explosives are recovered from his possession.

September 23: An HM  ‘section commander’, identified as Guddu Gujjar, is killed in an encounter with security forces at Achholbani in Dessa area of Doda district. Another injured terrorist, however, manages to escape from the encounter site. One AK rifle, two magazines and two grenades are recovered from the slain terrorist.

September 23: An HM terrorist, identified as Sayed Siraj-ud-Din Khaki alias Majid, is arrested from Patnala in the Doda district.

September 21: Four terrorists affiliated to the HM and HuM outfits are killed in an encounter with the security forces at Zainpora Sogan in the Shopian area of Pulwama district. A soldier sustains injuries during the exchange of fire. Official sources identify the slain terrorists as a HM ‘battalion commander’ Javed Ahmed Thoker, an HM cadre Ashiq Hussain Bhat, a HuM ‘commander’ Jamsheed and a HuM cadre Shoaib.

September 21: SFs arrest four HM cadres, identified as Mohammad Yousuf Dar, Hilal Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Ashraf Ahanger and Bashir Ahmad alias Ashiq, from the Budgam district and seize a cache of arms and ammunition, including 60 kilograms of explosives and one pistol from their possession. The troops also arrest two suspects, Abdul Gani and Rehmatullah, from village Suranda in the Gool area of Udhampur district.

September 20: An HM terrorist, identified as Mohammed Sadiq alias Wasim Bhai, is killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Kupwara district. One AK assault rifle, two magazines and some ammunition are recovered from his possession.

September 19: Two HM terrorists abduct a civilian, Abdul Rashid Gujjar, from his house at the Bajmasta area in the Doda district and subsequently shoot him dead.

September 18: Three HM cadres are killed in an operation by the SFs at Lashtiyar village in the Kupwara district. They are later identified as Mushaq Ahmed Lone alias Latram, Ghulam Mohiuddin Ghanai and Abid. Three AK-series rifles, six magazines and three hand grenades are recovered from their possession.

September 17: The 'financial controller' of HM, Masood Ahmed Natnu alias Yunus Sadiqui, is killed by the troops at village Dama in the Doda district. One pistol and one magazine are recovered from his possession.

September 15: An HM cadre, Fareed Ahmed Kamran, is killed by the troops during a search operation at Neeli forest area in the Doda district. One .303 rifle, one magazine, four rounds, one radio set and two hand grenades are recovered from the incident site.

September 13: SF personnel arrest four suspects, including a HM cadre, during three search operations in the Doda and Rajouri districts. From two suspects arrested in Rajouri, the troops recover Rupees 4.13 lakh in cash.

September 11: One BSF personnel is killed by the HM terrorists at Chadoora in the Budgam district.

September 10: An HM  ‘section commander’, Nazir Ahmed alias Nayeem, surrenders before the police in Doda. He hands over one AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 90 rounds and one pouch at the time of surrender.

September 8: A surrendered HM cadre, Abdul Rashid, is abducted and later shot dead by the terrorists near Punala forests in Doda district.

September 6: An HM ‘section commander’, Mohammed Rafiq, is killed in an encounter with the SFs at village Dugga Banjoi in the Bhalla area of Doda district. One AK rifle, three magazines, 11 rounds of ammunition, one wireless set and two hand grenades are recovered from the incident site.

September 5: SFs have shot dead a HM cadre, Mohammad Sheikh Abbas alias Samiullah, in an encounter at Zangalpora in the Anantnag district. A Chinese pistol, its magazine, four rounds, an AK magazine, six rounds and a hand grenade are recovered from the incident site.

September 4: SF personnel arrest an HM’s ‘operations commander’, identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Thokar, from Damhal Hanjipora in the Anantnag district. Four hand-grenades, two grenade launchers, three AK magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition are recovered from his possession.

September 3: An HM terrorist, identified as Adil Pathan, is killed in an encounter with the security force personnel at Zainapora in Pulwama district. An AK-56 rifle, four magazines and 90 rounds are recovered from the possession of the slain terrorist.

August 31: The police arrests Javed Ahmed Rather, a ‘divisional commander’, and Javed Ahmed Bhat alias Azmal, a ‘district commander’ of the HM, from a hotel along Residency Road in Jammu City. The duo are close confidants of the HM ‘supreme commander’ Syed Salahuddin. Police sources say that the arrests occur after they secure specific information that the duo have taken a room on rent in Hotel Premier before leaving for Nepal where they have convened a meeting of top HM ‘commanders’ from Pakistan to discuss future strategy.

August 30: A ‘deputy battalion commander" of the HM, Shamas-ud-Din alias Basharat, is shot dead by the SF personnel in an encounter at village Bharneli in the Mahore area of Udhampur district. One AK-56 rifle, three magazines, 12 rounds of ammunition, seven grenades and one radio set are recovered from his possession.

August 29: An HM cadre, identified as Mushtaq Ahmed Tak alias Khubeb, is killed while troops raid a terrorist hideout in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district. One pistol, a magazine and five grenades are recovered from the incident site.

August 29: A 24-year old youth, Murtaza Ali Shah, is arrested from the Thannamandi area in Rajouri district on specific information that he is working for ‘Sky Fighter’, a ‘district commander’ of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment. Further, two suspected terrorists, Sarab Gustaan and Rashid Munir, are arrested by the troops during a search operation at village Morha in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. Another suspect, Salam Mohammed, is arrested from the Mahore area of Udhampur district following reports that he is operating as an over-ground worker for the terrorists.

August 25: An HM cadre, Iqbal Gul alias Salahuddin Ayoubi aka Bihari, is killed during a search operation by the troops at village Damhal Hanjipora in the Anantnag district. One of his associates, Shabeer Ahmed Ghanai alias Dawood, who has managed to break the cordon, is also subsequently killed at Lassarpora Kulgam.

August 25: Two HM cadres, Rizwan Bhai and Riyaz Ahmed Kalsi, are shot dead by the SFs at Palapathri village in the Pulwama district.

August 24: An HM cadre, Gulzar Ahmad, is killed during a gun-battle with the SFs at village Wasoora in the Pulwama district. While a civilian is also injured when he is caught in the crossfire, SF personnel recover an AK assault rifle and a magazine from the incident site.

August 22: A front ranking HM cadre, Mushtaq Ahmad Tantray, is killed during an encounter with the troops at Salleh village in the Anantnag district.

August 21: Two motorcycle-borne cadres of the HM, Mushtaq Ahmad Tantary and Shabir Ahmed, are shot dead by the troops at Manigam in the Ganderbal area of the Srinagar district. Separately, another HM cadre, Shabir Ahmed Shah, is killed in an encounter with the SFs at Salia-Aishmuqam in the Anantnag district.

August 20: An HM terrorist, Irshad Ahmed alias Fidayeen, is shot dead by troops at village Gawas in the Doda district. One .303 rifle is recovered from the slain terrorist.

August 19: An HM ‘section commander’, Uttam Singh alias Saifullah, is killed by troops at village Thaloran in Kilotran area, about five kms from Gandoh in Doda district. One AK rifle and two magazines are recovered from the slain terrorist.

August 18: An HM terrorist, identified as Mohammed Azad, is arrested from the Surankote area of Poonch district on specific information that he is involved in at least four grenade blasts in the Surankote town and outskirts during the past few months.

August 17: The police arrests an HM ‘commander’, Nazir Ahmed, from village Garhi Kamet in the Doda district when was heading towards a house to settle a family dispute. One AK rifle is seized from his possession.

August 16: An over-ground worker of the HM, identified as Shamshuddin, is allegedly shot dead by his rivals at village Bhagrana in the Kishtwar area of Doda district.

August 15: A suspected HM cadre lobs a grenade outside the office of Sub Divisional Magistrate in Kishtwar, Doda district, causing injuries to two persons.

August 14: An over-ground worker of the HM and two HuM terrorists are arrested at villages Turk Wanigam and Kadagam-Zainapora in the Shopian area of Pulwama district on August 14 and 100 rounds of ammunition, a wireless set and four hand grenades were recovered from them.

August 12: HM cadres kill two youths, Mohammed Ashraf Hajam and Parvez Ahmed at village Kulhand in the Doda district.

August 12: Udhampur police arrests a HM terrorist, identified as Mohammed Latief, from village Kotli Pain in Rhembal area.

August 12: The Army arrests four people for helping a group of HM terrorists in treatment, shelter and transporting them in Doda district.

August 7: An HM terrorist, Abdul Rehman Khan, and a civilian, Akhtar Ahmed, are killed while one soldier sustains injuries in an encounter between terrorists and the troops at village Dawan Behak in the Bandipora area of Baramulla district.

August 2: An HM ‘commander’, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan alias Shahnawaz, is allegedly killed during a group clash with the LeT at Acchabal in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district.

August 1: Two HM cadres, identified as ‘district commander’ Mohammad Rafeeq Piswal alias Fighter Khan and Mohammad Abbas Khan, are killed by the SFs during a cordon-and-search operation at Arah village in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district.

August 1: Three HM cadres, including ‘district financial chief’ Ghulam Hassan Mir alias Arshid, are killed by the SFs who laid an ambush in the Handwara area of Kupwara district.

July 31: Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles kill a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, Irshad Ahmed Dar alias Bitta alias Khalid, during an encounter near Sirigufwara in the Anantnag district. A loaded pistol and a mobile phone are recovered from his possession. Elsewhere in the same district, another Hizb cadre, Abdul Waheed Bhat alias Nikka, is shot dead by the SFs at Kulgam.

July 28: SFs shot dead a HM cadre, Ghulam Ali alias Rezwan, in an encounter at Sikadi Bhatta in the Kishtwar area of Doda district. One AK-47 rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

July 27: SF personnel kill two HM cadres in a gun-battle at Malikpora in the Bandipore area of Baramulla district. They are identified as ‘deputy district commander’ Afaq Bhai alias Khalid of Pakistan and Irshad Ahmed Dar, a resident of Bandipore.

July 27: A surrendered HM cadre, Mohammed Farooq alias Imran, is shot dead by a Hizb terrorist in the house of his in-laws at Koti Kishanpur in the Billawar area of Kathua district.

Farooq, a ‘launching commander’ of the HM surrenders before the Director General of Police at Kathua along with eight top terrorists.

July 26: A civilian, Chuni Lal, is shot dead by suspected HM cadres in his house at Chasana in the Mahore area of Udhampur district.

July 24: Two HM cadres, including an unnamed ‘deputy district commander’, are shot dead by the SF personnel at Duchetar in the Marmat area of Doda district. One AK-47 rifle with two magazines and 23 rounds, one UBGL with three shells and one Kenwood wireless set are recovered from the incident site. The death toll of terrorists’ in the July 23-operation at Bhatta Durrian in the Mendhar area of Poonch district has reached three.

July 20: A Major of the Indian Army and two soldiers are among five people who die and 17 persons are wounded when a suspected suicide bomber rams an explosive-laden car into an Army vehicle near Burnhall School in the high-security civil lines area of Srinagar. Defence spokesperson Lt Col V. K. Batra said that Major Kapil Vinayak and two soldiers, Subash Chandra and Ram Krishan, were killed while four soldiers sustained injuries in the explosion. A civilian who died was identified as Nisar Ahmed Bhat, an employee of the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. The fifth person is believed to be the suicide bomber. The HM claimed responsibility for the attack.

July 18: A former HM cadre, Nazir Ahmad Khan, is abducted and later shot dead by a group of unidentified terrorists at village Kiloora in the Pulwama district.

July 16: Security forces arrest a HM cadre, Imam Tariq, from village Kandi in the Budhal area of Rajouri district. Two kg of explosives and one hand grenade are recovered from him.

July 15: With the arrest of 11 HM terrorists, police neutralise a Hizb module suspected to be behind the assassination of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s nephew in Anantnag district on May 1, 2005. The arrested are also reportedly involved in killing the brother of Minister of State for Home, Abdul Rehman Veeri.

July 14: A self-styled divisional commander of the HM, identified as Luqman, is killed along with two of his associates in an encounter with the SFs at Shogund village in Anantnag district. Two AK assault rifles, eight magazines, two hand grenades and 150 rounds of ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

July 12: Unearthing a terrorist plot to attack the capital’s Palam Air Force Station, the Delhi Police arrests a HM terrorist and a Deputy Director of the J&K Government and seize a large quantity of arms and ammunition.

July 10: A ‘section commander’ of the HM, identified as Mohammed Rafiq, is killed by the police near Bhatta in the Doda district. Two AK magazines, two rounds, one hand grenade and a pouch are recovered from him. However, two of his associates, in an injured condition, manage to escape from the incident site.

July 8: During search operations, SF personnel apprehend two over ground activists for providing shelter to HM terrorists and also acting as their guides in the Lahikot Handwara area of Kupwara district.

July 8: The troops kill three HM cadres at Zaipora in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district. Three AK rifles, two pistols, two mobile phones, one UBGL and one wireless set are seized from the slain terrorists, who were identified as Raja Aurangzeb alias Raju Afghani, Abdul Hamid and Mohammad Altaf.

July 8: Two over-ground HM workers are arrested from Kupwara and Handwara.

July 7: Security forces disrupt a meeting of atleast 12 HM terrorists at Zaipora village in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district and kill three terrorists, while the remaining nine were trapped.

July 6: The troops kill HM ‘district commander’ Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar alias Khadim during a raid on his hideout in the Saribal forest area of Baramulla district.

July 5: A self-styled district commander of the HM, Shabir Ahmad Mir alias Danish, who is wanted in connection with a number of terrorist incidents, is arrested from Drugmulla village in the Kupwara district. An AK assault rifle, two magazines and 45 rounds of ammunition are seized from his possession.

July 3: Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and Anantnag Police kill three HM terrorists during an encounter that ensued after a cordon-and-search operation is launched on the basis of disclosures made by a detained terrorist at Marhama in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag district.

July 2: Troops shot dead four more terrorists in the Palunia forests of Rajouri district taking the terrorist' death toll in the two day long gun battle to six. A huge cache of arms and ammunition is recovered after the encounter in which a Major is injured. Out of the six slain terrorists, four belonge to the Al Badr outfit and two to HM outfit.

July 1: Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles shot dead a Pakistani cadre of the HM, Jamal Bhai alias Furqan, near Letapora in the Awantipore area of Pulwama district.

June 30: The troops kill an HM cadre, Farooq Ahmed, during an operation at village Danda in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. One AK-56 rifle, two magazines and 10 rounds of ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

June 28: The SFs rescue two youths, including a VDC member, from the captivity of HM cadres in the Liccha forest area of Doda district.

June 27: An HM ‘divisional commander’, Showkat Ahmed alias Waris aka Shakeer, is shot dead by the SFs in the house of a harbourer at Kundgawani in the Kishtwar town of Doda district. He is reportedly involved in a series of attacks on the SFs, including the killing of Deputy Superintendent of Police Mushtaq Ahmed and six police personnel in an IED blast in Doda on July 2, 2004.

June 27: Police arrests a HM cadre, Bilal Ahmed Magray, before he can lob a grenade targeting the Minister of State for Home, Abdur Rehman Veeri, at Mirhama near Bijbehara town.

June 27: SFs kill two HM terrorists, identified as Abdul Gani Ganai alias Ashiq and Muddasar Hussain Shah, during an encounter in the Chowkibal area of Kupwara district.

June 20: A front ranking HM cadre, Ghulam Rasool Wagay alias Kachguru, is killed during an operation by the troops in the Mirbazar area of Anantnag district. Sources said that Kachguru has been operating since 2001 and is allegedly responsible for over 50 incidents of attacks on security forces and Police besides targeting mainstream politicians and surrendered terrorists.

June 20: Two HM cadres, Farooq Ahmed and Abdul Qayoom Malik, surrender before the security forces along with a large cache of arms and ammunition in the Ramban area of Doda district.

June 17: Unidentified persons trigger an IED blast at the house of a HM terrorist, Pervez Ahmed Dar, at Malangpura village, close to the Indian Air Force base in Awantipore area injuring the terrorist's parents and three other family members.

June 16: Two HM terrorists, including Noor-ud-Din alias Furkan, a ‘section commander’, are shot dead by the troops in an encounter at Ramban in the Doda district. Two AK rifles and some ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

June 15: Two HM cadres, Rafeeq Ahmed Dar and Bashir Ahmed Ganai, are killed during an encounter that ensued after troops launched a cordon-and-search operation at Seer Chakpora in the Wandhama area of Srinagar district. Two AK rifles and two damaged wireless sets are recovered from the encounter site.

June 11: A joint search party of the BSF and Army kills a 'company commander' of the HM, Mohammad Ashraf Mir alias Majid, in an encounter at village Seer Jageer in the Pulwama district. An AK rifle, three magazines, four hand grenades and a wireless set are recovered from the slain terrorist.

June 9: Two HM terrorists are killed in a gun-battle at Kandori nullah in the Gulabgarh area of Udhampur district. Two AK rifles, two hand grenades, one wireless set, five AK magazines and 110 rounds and two credit cards are recovered from the slain terrorists.

June 7: Pulwama district security forces kill a HM terrorist, identified as Gulzar Ahmed Bhat alias Saleem, in an encounter at Larmoo Poshwan in Awantipore area.

June 6: A Defence spokesman says that four terrorists are killed in a gunbattle with SFs at Galkloo-Arigam in Garoora area of Bandipora in Baramulla district. The spokesman identifies three of the deceased as Irshad Ahmad Khan of JeM, Naseer Ahmad and Javed Ahmad Lone of HM. Three AK Rifles, 14 magazines, 438 rounds, an UBGL and eight hand-grenades are recovered from the slain terrorists.

May 31: SFs arrest an HM cadre, Mohammed Iqbal, from the Kishtwar Bus Stand in Doda district when he is planning to throw a grenade targeting a SF picket.

May 23: A ‘section commander’ of the HM, identified as Liaquat Ali (code Osama), is killed by the SFs during an encounter at Balooni nullah in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. One AK-47 rifle with three magazines and 56 rounds, one Motorola wireless set, one pouch, Rupees 17,750 currency, one watch and two blankets are recovered from the incident site. HM’s ‘district commander’, Farooq Ahmed Sheikh, escapes during the encounter.

May 30: Troops have shot dead an HM ‘battalion commander’, Zahoor Ahmad Ganai alias Viky, in an encounter at Authroosa in Baramulla. One AK rifle, one magazine, a wireless set and 12 rounds of ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

May 29: Two HM cadres, Farooq Ahmed Bhat and Shamas Din, are shot dead by the SFs during an encounter at village Dharam in the Gool area of Udhampur district. Two AK rifles and one wireless set are recovered from the incident site.

May 28: Terrorists detonate an explosive-laden car on the Khanabal-Pahalgam road in Anantnag town of south Kashmir injuring 13 civilians and seven CRPF personnel. Later, HM spokesperson, Junaidul Islam, rings up newspaper offices and claims responsibility for the blast.

May 26: The police neutralise a HM training centre killing five terrorists at Sui Patyala, about 32 kilometers from Gandoh, bordering Himachal Pradesh, in the Doda district. According to Doda Police, while the terrorists’ identity is not established so far, a large cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the training camp.

May 23: A ‘section commander’ of the HM, identified as Liaquat Ali (code Osama), is killed by the SFs during an encounter at Balooni nullah in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. One AK-47 rifle with three magazines and 56 rounds, one Motorola wireless set, one pouch, Rupees 17,750 currency, one watch and two blankets are recovered from the incident site. However, HM ‘district commander’, Farooq Ahmed Sheikh, escapes during the encounter.

May 23: BSF personnel kill an HM cadre, Farooq Ahmed Sheikh, during an encounter at Arabal Nikus in the Pulwama district.

May 21: An HM terrorist, Abdul Hameed Parray, is killed in a grenade explosion at Kulgam in the Anantnag district.

May 10: Two HM terrorists, Shakir Ahmed Dar and Farooq Ahmed, surrender before the security forces in Doda. Shakir deposits two hand grenades, one pouch and a radio set at the time of his surrender.

May 9: SFs shot dead three HM terrorists during two encounters in the Doda district. They are identified as Mohammed Shaffi Mir, Akhter Hussain alias Tahir, and Ghulam Nabi. Recoveries made from the incident sites include one AK rifle with three magazines and 58 rounds, one pistol with one round, six hand grenades and one radio set, one SLR, one magazine, five rounds, two hand grenades and Rupees 173 in Indian currency.

Another HM cadre, identified as Bashir Ahmed alias Khalid, is killed by the Army at village Gawari in the Chanderkoot area of Doda district. One AK rifle, two magazines and seven grenades were recovered from his possession.

May 6: A day after the HM admits that 14 of its cadres are killed in the gun-battle with SFs at Lawaypora Khayar in the Baramulla district the Army says that it has recovered 10 bodies. A Defence spokesperson says that search operations are underway to recover eight more bodies of the terrorists killed.

May 5: Two terrorists, including Abu Mussa Khan, a ‘district commander’ of the HM, are killed during an encounter with the police at village Chandyal in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. A civilian was also killed in the encounter. One AK-56 rifle, one AK-47 rifle, seven magazines and one dairy are recovered from the incident site.

May 2: An HM cadre, Farooq Ahmed, is arrested from village Poohi in the Kishtwar area of Doda district along with two hand grenades.

April 29: Two HM cadres, Farooq Ahmed Shaker and Firdous Ahmed Shah, are arrested during a search operation at Puhi in the Doda district.

April 27: An HM cadre is shot dead by the security forces at village Trang in the Udhyanpur area of Doda district. One pistol, six rounds of ammunition and one magazine are recovered from the incident site.

April 25: The HM ‘chief’, Syed Salahuddin, accuses the Pakistani Government of sidelining the Kashmir issue with India. He said: "Pakistan seems to have changed its stance on Kashmir while India is still determined on its stance." While observing that they can hold talks with India over the Kashmir issue, he adds that New Delhi should first declare the territory a "disputed region." The Hizb chief also says that Pakistan will not benefit from negotiations with India over Kashmir. "If anyone thinks that any result can come in favour of Pakistan on the negotiating table, they are living in fool’s paradise," he added.

April 24: An Army porter, Abdul Ahmad, is killed by a group of three suspected HM terrorists, at his house in the Mahore area of Udhampur district.

April 22: During an encounter that occurs at village Banshal in the Doda district, a HM cadre, Nazir Ahmed Lone, is shot dead by the SFs. One pistol, one magazine, five rounds of ammunition, an UBGL and two UBGL grenades are recovered from the incident site.

April 21: An HM cadre, Tanveer Hussain, surrenders before the Army in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri district. He hands over one AK rifle and some ammunition at the time of surrender.

April 19: Security forces kill two HM cadres, Javed Ahmed Pir, a ‘divisional commander’ and Vikas Ahmed, during an encounter at Darpora Khas in the Kandi area of Kupwara district. Two AK-56 rifles are recovered from the incident site.

April 17: Security forces neutralise an HM hideout at Bunjwa in the Thathri area of Doda district and seize one 303 rifle, two pencil cells, and some ration items.

April 14: Three HM cadres, including ‘company commander’ Mohammad Yusuf Gorsi alias Gazi, are killed by the SFs during an operation at Dangarpora in the Pulwama district. A Major and one soldier sustained injuries in the incident.

April 10: Two soldiers are killed during a terrorist ambush at Shalpora in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. In retaliation, the troops kill one unidentified terrorist and recover one AK rifle, one pistol and one mobile phone. At least three terrorists of the group are believed to have escaped. A spokesperson of the HM claimed responsibility for the ambush.

April 8: Security forces shot dead an HM cadre at Nasoo Bandipora in the Baramulla district. One AK rifle, three magazines, 110 rounds of ammunition, four UBGLs and one wireless set are recovered from the slain terrorist.

April 5: Security forces arrest two suspected HM terrorists, Shabir Ahmed and Mohammed Hanief, and recover three kilograms of RDX from their possession at village Khangna in the Doda district. Troops also recover one AK magazine, 70 rounds of ammunition, 150 Pika rounds and one I Com radio set antenna from Lakharwali Murhi in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri district.

April 4: Two top HM cadres are shot dead by the troops during an encounter at village Pangai in the Rajouri district. A civilian is also killed in the exchange of firing while another is wounded. Two AK rifles, three magazines, two grenades and one radio set are recovered from the incident site.

March 27: A ‘divisional commander’ of the HM, identified as Ghulam Mohammed Malik alias Assad Malik alias Kamran, dies during an encounter with the SF personnel at Drushpura forest in the Kupwara district. One AK 56 rifle, a radio set, three hand grenade, three magazines and 63 rounds of ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

March 25: An HM cadre, Mohammed Ashraf, is killed during an encounter with the troops in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district.

March 24: An HM cadre, Munir Hussain, surrenders before the SFs at Channa in the Kalaban area of Poonch district.

March 23: One civilian is killed and six persons, including four soldiers, sustain injuries when terrorists trigger a car bomb explosion near the Sant Nagar area of capital Srinagar. The HM claimed responsibility for the blast in a telephone call to local news agencies.

March 22: A ‘company commander’ of the HM, Ashiq Hussain Shah, is killed in a gun battle with the troops at Vail village in the Aeshmuqam area of Anantnag district. One AK rifle along with three magazines and a grenade launcher are recovered from the incident site.

March 12: Security forces kill HM ‘divisional commander (Finance)' and 'launching chief' Farooq Ahmed War, alongwith his bodyguard, in a gunbattle in Machhipora forest area, near Batkoot village of Handwara in the Kupwara district.

March 10: An HM ‘commander’, Mubassar Hussain Sheikh, is arrested from Malothi in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district.

March 9: An HM cadre, Hashim Khan, is killed during an encounter at Veeri Nowbugh in the Bijbehara township of Anantnag district. However, two of his associates manage to escape from the incident site.

March 8: SF personnel kill two HM cadres, Shahid Hussain and Sayeed Saidullah, during an encounter at Chatru in the Doda district. Two AK rifles and an unspecified quantity of ammunition are recovered from the incident site.

March 7: Six terrorists are killed during an operation by the SF personnel in the snow-clad Dooraswani forest area of Kupwara district. Nazir Kakkar, a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM and one of those killed, is allegedly responsible for the September 11, 2002-assassination of former Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmed Lone. Six AK-56 rifles and an equal number of wireless sets are recovered from the incident site.

March 4: In an encounter at a terrorist hideout in the Mattan area of Anantnag district, three HM cadres are killed. However, two more Hizb cadres manage to escape from the incident site.

SF personnel also shot dead three more HM terrorists, including ‘deputy divisional commander’ Rafiq Kachroo, who is the son of an Excise Department officer Ghulam Rasool, at village Khari in the Banihal area of Doda district. Two AK rifles, one pistol and a radio set are recovered from the slain terrorists’ possession.

March 2: A ‘deputy district commander’ of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment, identified as Aijaz Ahmed, is among two terrorists killed during an encounter with the SF personnel at village Ari in the Poonch district.

Police arrests an HM ‘section commander’, Liaquat Hussain Bhat alias Minta alias Salman, from village Puneja in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. One AK rifle, three magazines, 113 rounds of ammunition and one Chinese grenade are recovered from his possession.

February 28: Three holed up HM terrorists escape after killing both the soldiers, who had been captured and disarmed by them during a gun-battle in the Matribugh village of Pulwama district. All the three Hizb cadres, who had been trapped by the troops in the house of one Master Inayatullah at Matribugh, managed to escape.

February 28: The troops kill an HM cadre during an encounter in the snow-bound Dorapeth village of Doda district.

February 26: Terrorists set off an IED at Wanpoh near an underconstruction railway crossing in Kulgam area of Anantnag district causing slight damage to a passing CRPF armoured vehicle. Later, the HM claimed responsibility for the blast.

February 25: In an encounter that occurred at Karam Katha in the Gool area of Udhampur district, two HM terrorist are killed. Two AK rifles and some ammunition are recovered from their possession.

February 24: During a encounter at Sali village in the Anantnag district, two HM cadres, identified as Gul Mohammad Dhobi and Idrees Ahmed, are killed.

February 21: Two top HM terrorists, including ‘battalion commander’ Jubair Hussain alias Nadeem, are shot dead by the police at village Tamlad in the Kathua district. Three police personnel are wounded in the operation. Two AK-47 rifles, two pistols, eight grenades, four wireless sets and a large quantity of diaries, pouches and matrix sheets are recovered from the incident site.

February 19: An HM terrorist, identified as Mohammed Atta Kumar and his two associates, Gurez Begum and Mohammed Abdullah, are arrested by the security forces from Doda.

February 17: An HM cadre, Bahadur Khan alias Kaleemulla, is killed by the troops during a cordon-and-search operation at Suyan Sadnaar in the Rafiabad area of Baramulla district. A civilian, Mohammad Maqbool Malla, in whose house the terrorist was present, also died in the cross-fire.

February 14: Zakir Hussain, an over ground worker of the HM, is arrested at Seeldhar in the Mahore area of Udhampur district.

February 12: Three terrorists of the HM Pir Panjal Regiment outfit are killed during an encounter with the SF personnel in the Surankote area of Poonch district. Official sources in Poonch later identified the slain terrorists as Abu Kareem, Abu Iqbal and Sikandri, hailing from Pakistan.

February 8: Official sources said that two detained HM cadres, Zahoor Ahmed Waza and Ghulam Hassan Khan, had escaped from police custody at Shergarhi in Srinagar.

February 4: An HM terrorist, Humza Danyab, is killed in an encounter with security forces at Gambhir Mugalan bridge in Manjakote area of Rajouri district. One AK rifle, two magazines, two Chinese grenades, one pouch, 60 AK rounds and a diary are recovered from his possession.

February 4: An HM ‘district commander’, Abdul Aziz Khan alias Ali alias Babar, is killed during an encounter with the security forces at Reshi Bazaar in the Anantnag district.

January 25: Three soldiers sustained minor injuries in an IED blast at Paibug in Anantnag district. The HM claimed responsibility for the blast.

January 24: Two HM terrorists, including ‘district commander’ Zulfikar Hussain Thokar alias Qasim and Yasin Pathan, are killed during an encounter that ensued after police launched a cordon-and-search operation at Urpara village in the Pulwama district.

January 21: Two HM cadres are killed and two BSF personnel sustained injuries during an encounter with the security forces at village Lancha in the Gool area of Udhampur district.

January 10: SFs killed both the HM cadres, who were trapped in a search operation at Kellam village in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district a day earlier. They were later identified as Sabzar Ahmed Wagay alias Aamir and Javed Ahmed Dar alias Mitha. Two AK-56 rifles, one wireless set and two grenades were recovered from the incident site.

January 9: An HM cadre, Abdul Karim alias Yasin, surrendered before the security forces’ two hours after killing another top cadre of the outfit, Ghulam Ali, in the Lancha area of Udhampur district. He also handed over one AK-47 rifle, four magazines and 114 rounds of ammunition at the time of surrender.

January 8: An HM  ‘district commander’ Khalid Chitrali is shot dead by the police during an encounter in the Mandi area of Poonch district. Two associates of Chitrali, suspected to be his body-guards, escaped during the gun-battle.

January 5: A 54 year-old terrorist, identified as Hussain Kohli alias Jabbar, an ‘area commander’ of the HM, and one of his associates are killed by the SF personnel at Thillu Bharneli in the Mahore area of Udhampur district. Recoveries made from the slain terrorists include two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, 269 rounds of ammunition and one grenade.

January 2: The police arrested Maqsood, a HM terrorist, from the house of a former legislator at Sidhra on the outskirts of capital Srinagar.

January 1: A senior HM terrorist, ‘commander’ Abu Askari, is shot dead by Army and police in an encounter at village Sarhuti in the Poonch district. One AK rifle, three magazines, 80 rounds and 3 kg RDX are recovered from him.