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J&K separatist group announces 3-day ceasefire

October 08, 2007 21:05 IST

Muzaffarabad based United Jihad Council on Monday announced a three-day unilateral ceasefire coinciding with the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Fitr.

A spokesman of the Muzaffarabad based UJC told a local news agency that a meeting of the various constituents chaired by its chairman Syed Salahudin had "decided to observe complete ceasefire on 12, 13 and 14 of this month so that Muslims in Kashmir could celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr."

"All the outfits have been instructed to observe complete ceasefire on October 12, 13 and 14 in view of the Eid-ul-Fitr," the UJC spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain said.

Muzaffarabad based UJC is a conglomerate of various militant groups headed by Syed Salahudin, supreme commander of the frontline militant group Hizbul Mujahideen.

Earlier the Hizbul Mujahideen had announced a unilateral ceasefire in July 2000, which was later revoked by Syed Salahudin.

Central government also announced a unilateral ceasefire in November 2000, which was also later withdrawn, because of a spurt in militant activities and intelligence reports that militants had regrouped.

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar