What we know about Sabzar, Burhan's successor who was killed today

Bhat is aged 21 and was an engineering student in a Chandigarh college.

He replaced Burhan Wani as the commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen on July 10 2016. This was exactly two days after Burhan was killed in an encounter by security forces. Sabzar Bhat, the successor to Wani was today killed in an encounter at Tral in Jammu and Kashmir.

What do we know about Sabzar Bhat who went by the aliasMehmood Ghaznavi. The 21 year old Bhat was close to Burhan and he had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen in 2015.

His decision to join the Hizbul Mujahideen was taken following the killing of Burhan's brother Khalid by the security forces. The appointment of Ghaznavi was made by the head of the outfit, Syed Salauddin through a statement on a local news agency KNS.

Who was Mehmood Ghaznavi alias Sabzar Bhat?

There is very little information on Ghaznavi. The police had in fact last year declared a cash reward on him. The Jammu and Kashmir police too were seeking out information relating to this man.

Officials say that Ghaznavi was a resident of Rathsuna in South Kashmir. He was a good friend of Burhan's and had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen only an year ago. It was the killing of Burhan's brother Khalid which prompted him to join the Hizbul Mujahideen in April last year.

Bhat is aged 21 and was an engineering student in a Chandigarh college. A low key operative, he never took too much to the social media like Burhan. Chosing a low profile commander may have been a deliberate attempt by the Hizbul Mujahideen which wanted some of the heat on it to be lowered.

Officials say that it was following the death of Khalid that he decided to join the outfit. Following that incident he left behind a note for his father who was a government employee.

In that note he wrote that he could not bear the atrocities that the people of Kashmir were facing and hence it is time that "I perform Jihad". He had been active since a young age. He had also taken part in several protests that took place in Kashmir including the one in 2010. Following this, he left to Chandigarh to do his engineering. Upon his return, he felt that he needed to fight for Kashmir.

OneIndia News