A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump spoke on the phone, the US government today declared Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.

A spokesperson of the US Department of State said Hizbul Mujahideen, also known as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Formed in 1989, Hizbul Mujahideen is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir.

Hizb chief Syed Salahuddin, also known as Mohammad Yusuf Shah, has already been declared as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US government.

These designations seek to deny the militant outfit the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of Hizb's property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked. The move also prohibits American nationals from engaging in any transactions with the terror outfit.

Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, in which 17 people were injured.

"Today's action notifies the US public and the international community that HM is a terrorist organisation. 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," the spokesperson said.

The US decision marks a severe blow to Pakistan which has been projecting the militant group as a voice of Kashmiri people.

Pakistan's powerful Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif have repeatedly praised the militant group's slain commander Burhan Wani who was killed in July last year in an encounter in Kashmir.

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