Muhammad Abbas Sheikh

Muhammad Abbas Sheikh
Other name(s)	Umar Mukhtar
Born	1975 Rampora Qaimoh, Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir
Died	23 August 2021(2021-08-23) (aged 45–46) Alochi Bagh, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
Buried	Wudder Payeen, Handwara
Allegiance	Hizbul Mujahideen (1996–2019) The Resistance Front (2019–2021)
Years of service	1996–2021
Rank	Chief Operational Commander of The Resistance Front
Battles/wars	Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir

Muhammad Abbas Sheikh (also known as Umar Mukhtar) was a militant commander and founder and Chief of The Resistance Front , a separatist organization involved in the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. He was killed in an encounter with the Indian security forces on August 23, 2021. He had joined militancy in 1996 and was previously associated with Hizbul Mujahideen. He was accused of several attacks on security forces and civilians in Kashmir. He was one of the ten most wanted militants in Kashmir. He was also known for reviving militancy in Srinagar and recruiting new militants. He was considered a potent and experienced militant commander with a low profile and a secular stance.

Biography

Muhammad Abbas Sheikh was born in 1975 in Rampora village, South Kashmir, Kulgam, to farmer Ghulam Hassan Sheikh. He first joined militancy in 1996 by joining Hizbul Mujahideen. In 2004, he was arrested, and after his release in 2005, he rejoined militancy the same year, leading to another arrest in 2007. After being released in 2011, he briefly worked as a tailor but returned to militancy in March 2014. Since then, he has been actively involved.

In the last two years, he shifted his focus to establishing The Resistance Front (TRF) and played a significant role in its formation after leaving Hizbul Mujahideen. According to a police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, Abbas Sheikh was known for his ability to procure weapons. He commanded great respect among militants, who regarded him as a spiritual leader. This reputation contributed to the rapid growth of TRF and attracted several new recruits in a short time. Sheikh was listed among the 'ten most wanted' militants shared by the police in July 2021.

In the past six years, Sheikh managed to escape several times during gunfights by breaking through the security cordons.

More than two dozen members of his extended family have been militants. He was the sixteenth militant from the immediate family to have been killed in a gunfight. His sister, Naseema Bano, was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in June 2020 for allegedly aiding militants. Her son, Touseef Sheikh, was involved in militancy and was killed in a gunfight.

According to police officials, Sheikh played a crucial role in the insurgency by providing the capability to recruit, motivate, and survive. Police sources also revealed that Sheikh was instrumental in revitalizing militancy in Srinagar, the capital city. Within six months of being declared militancy-free in 2020, Srinagar saw the recruitment of seven new militants, attributed to Sheikh's influence.

Other Family members Militancy Record

The Sheikh family's involvement in militancy spans generations, with 17 young men lost over the past two decades. Ibrahim, Abbas Sheikh's elder brother, was among the first to take up arms in the early '90s, meeting his end in 1996. Despite the loss, Abbas remained committed to militancy, enduring arrests in 2004 and 2007. His younger brother, Ashraf, also succumbed to the allure of militancy, purchasing an AK-47 but meeting a swift demise within 40 days. The family's anguish deepened as 15 more close relatives, including nephews Asiful Islam and Tawseef Sheikh, followed a similar path, with Tawseef's mother herself facing arrest for alleged involvement.

This extends beyond Kulgam, with casualties including paternal cousins Shabir Ahmad Sheikh and Maqbool Ahmad Sheikh. The family's compound bore witness to their sacrifices, highlighting the intimate nature of their losses. Despite the absence of active militants for the first time in decades, the family's sorrow persists, compounded by the memory of Irshad Ahmad Lone, a cousin killed in a non-militant-related army shootout. The resilience of the Sheikh family underscores the enduring impact of militancy on Kashmiri communities, a painful legacy etched into their shared history.

Ashraf's involvement in militancy was short-lived, as he was killed within 40 days of joining the militant rank Between Ibrahim and Sheikh, the family has lost 15 other young men who became militants. "In fact, this is the first time since the early 1990s that the family does not have an active militant.

All 15 of the slain militants were close relatives of Sheikh and his family, not distant ones. This included their two nephews, Asiful Islam and Tawseef Sheikh, who were sons of their sisters.

Tawseef's mother was arrested and spent over a year in jail. She was accused of motivating young men to join militants ranks.

Shabbir Ahmad Sheikh and Maqbool Ahmad Sheikh, paternal cousins of Sheikh, both lost their lives after joining the militant ranks. They lived in the same compound as Abbas Sheikh's family.

The Sheikh family has tragically lost 15 close relatives, including two nephews, to militancy. Tawseef's mother was jailed for allegedly motivating young men to join militants. Paternal cousins Shabir Ahmad Sheikh and Maqbool Ahmad Sheikh were among the casualties. The chain of militants extended beyond Kulgam, including relatives from Bijbehara, Tral, and Shopian districts. Despite the losses, the family's tragedy also included a cousin, Irshad Ahmad Lone, killed in a non-militant-related army shootout.

Death

In a brazen daylight operation, Abbas Sheikh and his associate Saqib Manzoor Dar were killed by Jammu and Kashmir Police Aloochi bagh in Srinagar on August 23, 2021. Inspector General Vijay Kumar stated that 10 plainclothes officers warned the militants before exchanging gunfire. Abbas, known for inciting youth to join militants, was buried far from home in Wudder Payeen Handwara, with restricted attendance at the funeral. Eyewitnesses described chaos as police surrounded the scene, emptying the area within moments.