Hizbul Mujahideen releases video showing militants killing youth

Hizbul Mujahideen has released a video purportedly showing militants killing a youth, who was alleged to be an Army informer.

The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows militants pumping a volley of bullets into Nadeem Manzoor, whose body was recovered Friday morning.

A resident of Safanagri village of south Kashmir's Shopian district, Manzoor was kidnapped by militants on Thursday night.

The militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the killing.

In another video shot before his killing, Manzoor, in militants' custody, is seen telling them that he informed the Army about the presence of militants in his native village.

"I saw the militants in the village and when I reached home, I gave a missed call to an Army officer. The officer called me back and I told him that there were militants in our village near my home," Manzoor is heard telling the militants.

HM commander Riyaz Naikoo, in an audio message released along with the video, defended Manzoor's killing, saying he was an informer of the Army.

"Manzoor informed the Army about two militants who were then killed in an encounter," Naikoo said, referring to a November 6 gunfight in Safanagri area of Shopian.

Naikoo said the youth had confessed to tipping off the forces due to greed.

"We do not want to kill anyone, but they (informers) are forcing us. We will expose more such videos in the future and traitors will face similar fate," he said.

The HM commander also warned panchs and sarpanches of "justice", saying "they should wait for their turn".