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The United States added the Kashmiri separatist group Hizbul Mujahideen to its blacklist of terrorist organisations on Wednesday, amidst renewed protests against Indian oppression in the region.
US authorities had already designated the group's leader, Syed Salahuddin, a “global terrorist”, but he is still able to operate in Kashmir, where his group has strong support.
The State Department designation bans US citizens and residents from dealing with the group and any assets found to belong to the Hizbul Mujahideen in areas under US jurisdiction will be frozen.
“Today's action notifies the US public and the international community that Hizbul Mujahideen is a terrorist organisation,” the department said.
“Terrorism designations expose and isolate organisations and individuals, and deny them access to the US financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of US agencies and other governments.”
The US designation comes in the week that both India and Pakistan mark 70 years of independence from the British Empire — and the start of a bitter rivalry and decades of conflict over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Since 1989, rebel groups have fought in India-held Kashmir, demanding independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan, and tens of thousands — mostly civilians — have been killed.
On Sunday, two Indian soldiers and three civilians were killed in a gun battle after counter-insurgency forces surrounded suspected separatists in a village just south of the city of Srinagar.
Comments (52) Closed
good step by US
Good move
Great going!
Excellent!
Wonderfull news
Good for peace!
Great move.
As a Pakistani I appreciate this decision
great move by usa
@Abraham Haque I am proud of you brother. So far you are THE only one from our soil who have commented -- isn't very, very interesting.
Acceptable only if US did not take this step to please India!!
Very bad move by the current US Trump administration. Hopefully it will be overturned by the next administration.
No state within state.
@Abraham Haque
Thanks
Won't change anything on ground level
Will India and Pakistan be allowed to reconcile their differences is the Billion $ question. The answer does not give any joy
US is truly anti terrorists
US has no principles .....when it comes to their interests...
We are brutally murdering innocent Kashmiris and turning a blind eye to the atrocities by our armed forces. Kashmir should be freed.
Good move by USA. All of us are getting tired of all the violence. They have to stop.
This will have little impact.the country and govt which protect such groups must be made accountable.
@Abraham Haque bhai salute true human you are teach some to your people
Kashmiris will continue their struggle for freedom from the Indian occupation.
Rulers don't know the long term impact on such decision.
Ground situations does not change by such actions.
Free Kashmir
@Akil Akhtar their Self interests is the only guiding principle of US
U.S acting under Indian pressure!!!
Let me ask you honestly which kind of civilian involves in gun battle with security Armed forces?
@indian indeed. hail this comment
@Riaz murtaza They will wait till eternity.
Very good move for India and Pakistan. Hope the relationship between two countries will improve with time.
What a shame? Why can't the U.S. look intrinsically into its own backyard and find host of White House staff including people like Steve Bannon as hot contenders to be included in the same list?
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad ----- you make little sense
US and peace..two different things !
@indian I think you also want to be free from world and join 72 Hoors
Very Late, but a good step, done earlier could have saved many lives. I hope it brings peace to Kashmir valley.
International patience is slowly ebbing and the terminology of Freedom Fighters, Non-state Actors, Good Terrorist will not hold good.
The recent U.S. decision to declare the indigenous Hizbul Mujahideen of Azad Jammu and Kashmir a specially designated terrorist organization is not only saddening but also highly shameful, totally shocking, thoroughly scandalous, entirely irrelevant, precisely immoral, definitely unethical, certainly uncalled for and absolutely unwarranted, to say the least. In fact, tremendous pressure from the powerful and resourceful Hindu-Jewish lobbies intrinsically, who contribute billions of dollars worth of money to various congressional candidates for their election campaigns since many decades is the main reason behind this immature, deplorable, disgraceful and despicable decision of the U.S. state department.
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad : hindu-jewish lobby?? There is no such lobby. In fact India and Israel has only just started mutual talks and trade. Your comment only depicts your hatred towards these two communities, your utter frustration, your allegiance to a terrorist organisation that has killed innocent civilians and created unrest in an indian state, and your desire to show off a few big words of English. Cheers!
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Precisely nonsensical
Welcome step.
wow, a fantastic and superb decision by the US, after a very long time.
I am not sure what this group is upto but I thought there were group/s fighting for freedom in Kashmir?
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad , you are cutting the branch you sitting on,beware!!
Currently these HM leaders are under investigation for terror financing crimes. Just wait for a month for the outcome as most of them will be sent to jail.
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad : You always write with a book of fiction in one hand and weed in another. Come back from Disney Land and see the truth. Truth is India is becoming economic supermarket and world loves it.
@indian Are you serious ? What a joke !!
@Abraham Haque - Thank you
Picture with the article tells the reason and the people instigating it from the west of our border
@TINA proud of you...well said
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad I am surprised with you writing skills,, it shows your command over language... hope you have command over your thoughts, that would have been much helpful... Even white supremist leaders think in same patterns as you, only difference is that you are on different island.....