Hizbul Mujahideen has appointed Gazi Haider as the new operational head for Jammu and Kashmir to replace Riyaz Naikoo who was killed in an encounter recently.

According to a statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), a command council meet was held under the chair of UJC Chairman and Hizb Supremo Syed Salah-ud-din wherein great tributes were paid to slain militant commanders who recently were killed in Beighpora village of Pulwama district.

“During the meet, Gazi Haider was appointed as Operational Chief Commander for J&K, Zaffar-ul-Islam as Deputy while Abu Tariq as Chief Military Advisor”, the statement said.

It added that UJC Chief paid rich tributes to former slain militant commander and his associate Mohammad Bin Qasim and Mohammad Adil and hoped that "martyrs’ blood will surely benefit the freedom movement."

Security forces on Wednesday registered a major win in the fight against terror as they gunned down top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo. Naikoo, who had been on the run for the last eight years, was killed after a gun battle in his village in Kashmir's Pulwama district.