Encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Zakura: Did Islamic State carry out its first attack in state? Police probe on

Amaq news agency, a news outlet linked to the Islamic State, claimed that the terrorist group was behind the attack in Zakura area of Srinagar on 17 November,  according to several media reports.

Amaq news agency of IS claimed they carried out its first attack in Kashmir. As per the news agency, the attack in Zakura area of Srinagar on Nov 17 was carried by IS, in which one police officer was killed & another was injured. The agency is considered as a news platform for IS pic.twitter.com/cByUSDvqcx

— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 19, 2017

A sub-inspector was killed and a special police officer (SPO) was injured in the attack by militants in Zakura area on the outskirts of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Three militants travelling in a car opened fire at a police team at the Zakura crossing on Srinagar-Ganderbal road, killing sub-inspector Imran Tak and injuring a SPO, a police official said on Friday. The police team managed to intercept the car and apprehended one militant. According to an India Today report, one militant Mugees Ahmad Mir was killed in retaliation. The report added that Mugees was believed to be part of Zakir Musa group which claims to be a wing of Al-Qaeda in the Valley. [caption id=“attachment_4144995” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] According to The Indian Express report, Jammu and Kashmir Police is verifying the claims made by the news agency. “These are claims which need to be verified. We are investigating the matter. This is also the third outfit in the valley which has claimed  responsibility. It is too early to comment,” IGP Muneer Khan was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. A DNA report cited SITE Intel Group, a jihadist/far right and far left news provider, tweeting that Islamic State claimed the responsibility for Zakura attack. The report added that besides Islamic State, Tehreek-ul-Mujhadeen and Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind also claimed responsibility for the attack. The New Indian Express on Saturday quoted an intelligence report on “Spread of ISIS ideology in Kashmir” saying a twitter handle @JackMoosa posted message with posters on 23 October regarding Islamic State officially announcing formation of its first group in Kashmir. “The twitter handle @JackMoosa claimed that the message shown in these posters was originally by pro-ISIS Telegram channel ‘Waliyah Kashmir. The message content reveals that a local terrorist from Kashmir would assure his allegiance to ISIS very soon. This twitter handle also released a promo picture of upcoming video ‘        Bayah from Kashmir to spread Islamic State’s ideology in Kashmir,” The New Indian Express quoted the intelligence report. With inputs from PTI