The Hindu : Hizb commanders fault Salahuddin's move

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 08, 2002

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Hizb commanders fault Salahuddin's move

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR MAY 7. In what is seen as the first banner of revolt against the leadership, two top Hizbul Mujahideen commanders have expressed their resentment over the decision of the supreme commander, Syed Salahuddin, to expel Abdul Majid Dar and two others — Zafar Abdul Fatah and Assad Yazdani — and refused to accept it. Some 700 militants, including six commanders, have joined them.

In an interview to a local news agency, CNS, the outfit's launching commander, Abu Aamir, and the district chief, Kupwara, Asgar bin Rehman, said, "to expel the three commanders is a wrong decision and we do not accept it.'' The field commanders had not been consulted on the issue and we came to know it through ythe media, the commanders told the agency at a hideout.

"We sought an explanation from the leadership but could not get a satisfactory reply,'' they said adding that those who had taken this decision in Muzaffarabad (PoK capital) did not know anything about the ground situation. "If they see what is on the ground they will know how wrong the decision is,'' said Mr. Aamir and Mr. Asgar.

Taking a dig at Mr. Salahuddin, they said he had been staying in Muzaffarabad for the last seven years and working in a free atmosphere so this decision was always expected. They said they respected Mr. Salahuddin but if he returned to Kashmir Valley for two months he would be forced to change the strategy. "The Hizbul Mujahideen believes in jehad and is bound to implement this ideology but even if seen in the light of the Holy Quran, the strategies need to be changed with the changing situation.''

The district chief of Hizb said those expelled never tried to weaken the organisation and in view of changing situation their steps were in right direction. "We are in a state of war and to change the strategies is part of the traditions of war but Mr. Salahuddin's decision is against that,'' the commanders said. Only those who work in the field know under what circumstances we work.

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