US Designates Hizbul Mujahideen As Foreign Terrorist Group

America’s intelligence chief on Tuesday warned that Pakistan-supported terrorist groups would continue to carry out attacks inside India, thus risking escalation of tension between the two neighbours. Photo: Sayeed Salahudeen, Hizbul Mujahideen chief.

The US decision marks a severe blow to Pakistan which has been projecting the militant group as a voice of Kashmiri people.

"These designations seek to deny Hizbul Mujahideen the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks," the State Department said in a statement. Among other consequences, all of Hizbul Mujahideen's property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group.

The US on Wednesday designated Kashmiri militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen as a "foreign terrorist organisation", nearly two months after declaring the group's Pakistan-based chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.