New Delhi, Delhi, India

An al-Qaeda-affiliated propaganda channel Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) has announced 23-year-old Zakir Musa, a former Hizbul Mujahideen commander, as its head in Kashmir.

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This is the first time al-Qaeda has openly admitted it operates in Kashmir which has been the centre of militant violence over several decades.

The Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF), a jihadist website released a statement of the establishment of a jihadi group in Kashmir calling itself “Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind”.

Zakir Musa was previously declared the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after Burhan Wani's encounter on July 8, 2017. He, however, renounced his position from the terrorist group in May 2017. 

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Before joining Mujahideen Zakir was a civil engineering student in Chandigarh.

He is now made to head al-Qaeda's new cell named Ansar Ghawzat-ul-Hind. 

Indian police and intelligence officials are sure that the decision will have little impact on ground.