Khalistan Zindabad Force
Encyclopedia
The Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) is a militant
group, and is part of the Khalistan movement
to create a Sikh
homeland
called Khalistan
via armed struggle.
It was identified in 2005 as a terrorist organisation by the EU.
The strength and striking capabilities of the Khalistan Zindabad Force are currently unknown, but it is reported that attempts have been made for the Khalistan Zindabad Force and other militant groups from Kashmir
to co-ordinate their efforts. In December 2005 the European Union
classified the Khalistan Zindabad Force as a terrorist organization, freezing its monetary assets throughout its 25 member countries. The Khalistan Zindabad Force was reported to still be active in 2008.
Claims
and denials
of responsibility have been reported in the name of the Khalistan Zindabad Force for a May 2009 attack at the Gurdwara Nanaksar in Vienna
, Austria
, that left Rama Nand
, a leader of the Dera Sach Khand
dead, 17 injured,
and sparked riots across northern India.
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
group, and is part of the Khalistan movement
Khalistan movement
Khalistan refers to a global political secessionist movement to create a separate Sikh state, called Khālistān , carved out of parts mostly consisting of the Punjab region of India, depending on definition....
to create a Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
homeland
Homeland
A homeland is the concept of the place to which an ethnic group holds a long history and a deep cultural association with —the country in which a particular national identity began. As a common noun, it simply connotes the country of one's origin...
called Khalistan
Khalistan
Khalistan refers to a global political secessionist movement to create a separate Sikh state, called Khālistān , carved out of parts mostly consisting of the Punjab region of India, depending on definition....
via armed struggle.
It was identified in 2005 as a terrorist organisation by the EU.
Organization and activity
The Khalistan Zindabad Force is headed by Ranjit Singh Neeta, a native of Jammu & Kashmir. He was listed among India's 20 most wanted persons in 2008.The strength and striking capabilities of the Khalistan Zindabad Force are currently unknown, but it is reported that attempts have been made for the Khalistan Zindabad Force and other militant groups from Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
to co-ordinate their efforts. In December 2005 the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
classified the Khalistan Zindabad Force as a terrorist organization, freezing its monetary assets throughout its 25 member countries. The Khalistan Zindabad Force was reported to still be active in 2008.
Claims
and denials
of responsibility have been reported in the name of the Khalistan Zindabad Force for a May 2009 attack at the Gurdwara Nanaksar in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, that left Rama Nand
Rama Nand
Sant Rama Nandji was a leader of the Dera Sach Khand, a follower of Ravidassia.His name came to international attention when he was murdered at the age of 57 in a 24 May 2009 attack in the...
, a leader of the Dera Sach Khand
Dera Sach Khand
Dera Sach Khand is a religious social organization based in the village of Ballan, near Jalandhar, Punjab, India.It was founded by devotees of Shri Guru Ravidas Ji....
dead, 17 injured,
and sparked riots across northern India.