Ilyas Kashmiri killed in US drone strike, confirms HuJI
Now, Harkat-ul Jehad-al Islami, whose commander Ilyas Kashmiri was, has set at rest lingering doubts with the outfit’s spokesperson Abu Hanzala issuing a formal statement. In the statement faxed to Dawn News and other Pakistan TV channels, HUJI said it would take revenge from the US for Kashmiri’s death.
The US drones targeted a location 20 km from Wana and fired two missiles on one hide out and another two at another nearby hideout almost in quick succession at two places.
Kashmiri arrived at Wana from the Khyber tribal region 10 days ago and moved to the area where the drones struck only a day earlier.
According to Pakistan journalist Hamid Mir, Ilyas Kashmiri was not the product of Madrassas but of the Pakistani establishment (a euphemism for the ISI and the army), who used him to fight for America in the 80s against the Soviet Union and to safeguard the Pakistani establishment’s interests in Kashmir in the 90s. He gained popularity among the Mujahideen after he attacked an Indian Chowki in Nowshera in February 2000.
His luck ran out in 2003 and he was caught on charges of an assassination attempt on President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. He was released for want of proof. Two years later in 2005 he was again arrested but the Pakistan authorities were forced to set him free under the pressure from Kashmiri extremist groups.
Ilyas Kashmiri and his 313 Brigade mostly attacked American targets. He had good relations with Hakeemullah Mehsood’s group and wanted to instigate a war between India and Pakistan. Kashmiri had a training camp near Kotli in Kashmir, and more than two offices in Islamabad where many eminent Ulemas used to visit him, according to Hamid Mir.
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