Sikh Religious Extremism - Rise of Militancy - Khalistan Militant Outfits

Khalistan Militant Outfits

See also: Khalistani groups

The major pro-Khalistan militant outfits include:

  • Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)
    • Listed as a terrorist organization in the European Union, Canada, India, and UK.
    • Also included in the Terrorist Exclusion List of the United States Government in 2004.
    • Designated by the US and the Canadian courts for the bombing of Air India Flight 182 on 27 June 2002.
  • Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF)
    • Listed as a terrorist organization by the EU. Last major suspected activity was a bomb blast at the Inter-State Bus Terminus in Jalandhar, in 2006.
  • International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), based in the United Kingdom
  • Khalistan Commando Force (KCF)
    • Formed in 1986. It does not figure in the list of terrorist organizations declared by United States Department of State
    • According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India, including the 1995 assassination of Chief Minister Beant Singh.
  • All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF)
  • Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan (BTFK)
    • Also known variously as Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan and Bhindranwale Tiger Force, this group appears to have been formed in 1984 by Gurbachan Singh Manochahal. After the founder's death, the BTF (or BTFK) seems to have disbanded or integrated into other organizations.
    • Listed in 1995 one of the 4 "major militant groups" in the Khalistan movement.
  • Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF)
  • Khalistan Liberation Force
    • Formed in 1986; believed to be responsible for several bombings of civilian targets in India during the 1980s and 1990s, sometimes in conjunction with Islamist Kashmir separatists.
  • Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA)
    • Reputed to have been a wing of, or possibly associated with, or possibly a breakaway group from, the Khalistan Liberation Force.
  • Khalistan Armed Force (KAF)
  • Dashmesh Regiment
  • Khalistan Liberation Organisation (KLO)
  • Khalistan National Army (KNA)
  • Kamagata Maru Dal of Khalistan
  • Shaheed Khalsa Force
  • Khalistan Guerilla Force
  • Khalistan Security Force
  • Khalistan Rebel Fediration (KRF)

Most of these outfits were crushed during the anti-insurgency operations by 1993. In recent years, active groups included Babbar Khalsa, International Sikh Youth Federation, Dal Khalsa, Bhinderanwala Tiger Force. An unknown group till then, the Shaheed Khalsa Force, claimed credit for the marketplace bombings in New Delhi in 1997. The group has never been heard of since.

Read more about this topic:  Sikh Religious Extremism, Rise of Militancy

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