The United States Wednesday designated Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest armed group in Kashmir, as a “foreign terrorist” organisation, imposing sanctions on it including the freezing of assets it may hold in the US, reports said.

The US Department of State said in a statement on Wednesday that Washington is seeking to deny the group “the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks”.

“Terrorism designations expose and isolate organisations and individuals, and deny them access to the US financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of US agencies and other governments.”

Hizbul Mujahideen is the largest indigenous armed group fighting against Indian rule in the Himalayan territory since an armed rebellion broke out in 1989.

In June, the US had also designated the group’s leader Syed Salahuddin as a “global terrorist”.

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