The Guardian reports:

Former Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Zakir Rashid Bhat, popularly known as Zakir Musa, has been appointed as the head of a newly created Al Qaeda cell in Kashmir.

'The appointment of Zakir Musa as head of the new group represents the first time terrorists linked to Al Qaeda have operated openly in Kashmir,' the report said.

'The new cell, named Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind, is the deepest inroad Al Qaeda has yet made in Kashmir,' it said.

Recently, breaking from the secessionist movement's traditional leadership -- the Hurriyat Conference -- Musa had advocated Kashmiri allegiance to Islamic State.

In an audio slideshow released in May, Musa spoke about establishing an Islamic caliphate in Kashmir.

In the 5.40-minute-long clip, Musa also warned separatist leaders not to meddle in the move to set up a caliphate in Jammu and Kashmir 'along the lines of the rule established by the Islamic State in parts of Syria and Iraq'.

However, a Hizb-ul spokesman later claimed 'that the statement of Musa isnt acceptable and that the outfit has nothing to do with it'.

Musa, who succeeded Burhan Wani in the outfit, had dumped Hizb-ul after this fallout.  -- Agencies