Muhammad Ahsan Dar

Muhammad Ahsan Dar (Kashmiri: محمد احسن ڑار) (born 1960 in Sariwarpora Pattan, Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir) is a separatist leader from Jammu and Kashmir.[1][2][3][4] He is known as the founder and former head of the separatist militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen and, later, of Muslim Mujahideen. He is a former school teacher and was given the nickname "Master" when he joined militancy.

Muhammad Ahsan Dar
Born1960 (1960)
Sariwarpora Pattan, Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir
Other namesMaster Ahsan Dar
OccupationEx-School-Teacher
Known forFounding the Hizbul Mujahideen
Children4

Activity

Dar had crossed over to Pakistan-administered Kashmir twice, in 1984 and 1988, where as some allege he received training in armed combat. Upon his return in 1988 he was arrested but escaped from a hospital. He crossed the Line of Control again in 1989 and later returned to India via the border with Bangladesh. Upon return he joined Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).[1]

Dar split from JKLF to lay the foundation of pro-Pakistan group Hizbul Mujahideen on 15 September 1989 with Abdul Wahid Sheikh of Beerwah. He became the militant group's chief commander, and in 1990, had more than 10,000 armed men under his command.[2][5]

Dar was also affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami. Though Hizbul had no official support from Jamaat, several of its members and affiliates were among Hizbul's founders. The pro-independence JKLF's expansion and growth in power worried both the Jamaat and Pakistan. In an attempt to counter it, Jamaat started taking over Hizbul Mujahideen and in 1990, Dar declared Hizbul as the "sword arm of Jamaat". Yusuf Shah aka Sayeed Salahudeen who was a staunch Jamaati, gradually started taking over the leadership of Hizbul. Dar, the chief commander, despite the Jamaat takeover had become increasingly independent and was opposed to Jamaat's plan to impose a "shura"-style council leadership. Dar was also disillusioned by the killings perpetrated by Hizbul Mujahideen on members of other militant organizations and pro-independence leaders and activists. He was expelled by Salahudeen loyalists in 1991 and formed his own group along with the loyalists in 1992, naming it as "Muslim Mujahideen". The group quickly fell apart after his arrest in 1993.[6]

In spite of all this, Dar, however, remained close to Sayeed Salahudeen, who also heads the United Jihad Council.

Current life

He was arrested and released in 1999 after seven years in detention. He was last arrested on 14 January 2009[7] and released on 25 December 2012.

See also

References
  1. "Hizbul wiped out JKLF before dominating Valley militancy - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  2. "Founder of Hizbul Mujahideen, Master Muhammad Ahsan Dar, released". Kashmir Watch. 26 December 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  3. Staniland, Paul (22 April 2014). Networks of Rebellion: Explaining Insurgent Cohesion and Collapse. Cornell University Press. pp. Page 77 etc. ISBN 9780801471025.
  4. "Kashmir–Deciphering Islamabad's Signals". www.vifindia.org. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  5. "Wanted terrorist: Mohammad Ahsan Dar arrested - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  6. "History of Kashmiri militancy". Rising Kashmir. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  7. "Hizb founder Master Ahsan Dar arrested". Greater Kashmir. 15 January 2009.
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