Hizbul Mujahideen

Year of Formation: 1990

Origin: Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir and PoK.

Headquarters: Muzaffarabad in PoK.

Objective: Merger of J&K with Pakistan.

Area of Operation: J&K

Sponsors: Jamaat-e-Islami of PoK and Kashmir, ISI, Pakistan.

Training Camps: Muzaffarabad in PoK.

Leadership: Maulvi Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin.

Harkat-ul-Ansar

Year of Formation: 1993 (Originally Harkat-ul Jehad-e-

Islami, the group split in 1985 into the Harkat-ul Jehad-e-

Islami and the Harkat-ul-Ansar. The two reunited in

October 1993 to form the Harkat-ul-Ansar).

Origin: Linked to the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Islam and

Tableeghi Jamaat in Pakistan.

Headquarters: Islamabad, Pakistan

Objective: Fight for the global supremacy of Islam,

liberate areas with a Muslim majority, protect Muslims in non-Muslim areas ...

Area of Operation: India, Pakistan, Burma, Bangladesh, and Tajikistan.

Sponsors: Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Islam, Tafleequl Islam and Hizb-e-Islami, all based in Pakistan as also the ISI, Pakistan.

Training Camps: Khost, Afghanistan.

Leadership: Fazal-ul-Rehman Khalil and Abdul Rashid.

Lashkar-e-Taiyaba

Year of Formation: Early 1980's

Origin: The armed wing of the Markaz Dawa wal Irshad which is affiliated to the Jamaat-e-Ahle Hadis, Pakistan.

Headquarters: Muridke near Lahore.

Objective: To establish the rule of Allah throughout the world, (to fight holy war against India).

Area of Operation: India, Kashmir in particular.

Sponsors: Jamaat-e-Ahle Hadis, Pakistan, Pakistan's ISI, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait.

Training Camps: Kunar, Afghanistan.

Leadership: Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Zafar Iqbal and Zaki-ur-Rehman.

Al-Badr

Year of Formation: 1998

Origin: It comprises the hardened elements of the Hizbul

Mujahideen from both PoK and J&K.

Headquarters: Muzaffarabad in PoK.

Objective: Merger of J&K with Pakistan.

Area of Operation: J&K

Sponsors: Jamaat-e-Islami of PoK and ISI, Pakistan.

Training Camps: PoK.

Leadership: Bakht Zameen.

(Source: The Times of India, 26 September, 1999)