Al Badr, also known as the Al-Badr Mujahideen, is an Afghan-trained militant wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Pakistan. It is reported to have been formed in June 1998.
Although the Al Badr was a creation of the JeI Pakistan, the relation between the two was strained in the course of time as the Al Badr allegedly violated the code of conduct prescribed by the Jamaat. So far the historical evolution of the Al Badr goes, it operated under the supervision of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), beginning in 1971, and later, under Hizb-e-Islami supremo, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
Like its strained relationship with the Jamaat, the Al Badr also distanced itself from the HM as it focused on Kashmir as its main area of operation. However, Al Badr was also reported to be pitched against indigenous militant groups in Kashmir by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to marginalize them and to carry out Pakistan’s Kashmir jihad agenda.
The groups’ namesake reportedly traces its origins to 1971 when a group carrying same name attacked the Bengalis in the then East Pakistan. Al Badr as a militant group was banned in India on 1 April 2002, and it has also been designated as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) in the United States (US).
So far the main objective of the Al Badr goes, it aims for an independent and sovereign Kashmir. But at the same time, it is also critical of the indigenous Kashmir militant groups such as Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). The Al Badr follows hardline ideas as it does not believe in allowing women enrolling in the colleges and opting for jobs.
According to the available sources, the headquarters of the Al Badr is located at Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. In India, the outfit also has its presence in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). There are also reports which suggest that in Muzaffarabad area of Pakstan-occupied Jammu Kasmir (PoJK), the Al Badr runs a training camp.
Sixty-two years old Bakht Zameen is the current chief of the Al Badr. He hails from Peshawar. Its deputy head is Ahmed Hamza. Rizwan Bhai is the chief commander of its training wing. The other key leaders of the outfit are Shahbaz Afghani and Azhar Nasim.
The Al Badr is believed to be a small organisation. The outfit is believed to have strength of 300 cadres, with about one-third being of foreign origin. According to another source, the Al Badr has cadre strength of less than 50 operatives estimated to be active in J&K at any given time.
It is one of the first militant groups which has used suicide squads for their targets.
The Al Badr receives funds from JeI and the ISI. It also collects donations with its “jihad fund campaign”. So far the jihad fund campaign of the Al Badr goes, according to one of the reports, Al Badr has been collecting donations openly in some places like Rawalpindi in Pakistan. One of the sources available indicates that Al Badr is finding it difficult to raise funds and many of its training camps have been closed.
As already mentioned, the Al Badr had its links, rather its original affiliations, with the militant outfits such as HM and Hizb-e-Islami. There are reports suggesting its link with groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e Mohammad (JeM) and the Muttahida (United) Jihad Council (MJC). The Al Badr’s links with the LeT have been prominent on many occasions. According to one report, the LeT had announced to work closely with the Al Badr because of the nature of its cadres.
Though it has not been established but some of the statements by the key operatives of the Al Badr indicate that it has some connection with the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) of the Kashmir Valley.
From the security point of view, the Al Badr is of great concern for India. It is against any sort of negotiation and peace deal with Indian authorities with regard to independence of Kashmir.