“Although unable to carry out large-scale attacks in India, ISIL-K seeks to recruit lone actors through its India-based handlers and releases booklets in Urdu exacerbating Hindu-Muslim antagonism and detailing its strategy on India,” the UN report said. said. File | Photo credit: Reuters
The terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan (ISIL-K) seeks to recruit lone actors through handlers based in India, although it has not been able to carry out large-scale attacks in the country, a UN report said.
The 34th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team on ISIL (Da’esh), al-Qaeda and related individuals and entities, released at the United Nations on July 30, said that member states noted their continued concern that terrorism that originates from Afghanistan will be the driver of insecurity in the region and further away in most scenarios.
“Although unable to carry out large-scale attacks in India, ISIL-K seeks to recruit lone actors through its India-based handlers and releases booklets in Urdu that amplify Hindu-Muslim antagonism and outline its strategy on India,” the report said. said.
It also said that ISIL-K remains the most serious threat in the region, projecting terror beyond Afghanistan, while “al-Qaeda exercises strategic patience”, prioritizing its relationship with the Taliban.
In addition, it said that there is increased support and collaboration between the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), sharing manpower and training camps in Afghanistan and carrying out more deadly attacks under its flag Tehrik-e Jihad Pakistan (TJP).
“Therefore, TTP can become an umbrella organization for other terrorist groups. In the medium term, the potential merger of TTP and AQIS can increase the threat to Pakistan, and eventually India, Myanmar and Bangladesh,” he said.
Moreover, even if the Taliban try to control al-Qaeda, greater collaboration between al-Qaeda affiliates and the TTP could turn the latter into an “extra-regional threat”.
He said that in the short term, ISIL-K will maintain its combat readiness, increase its income, and increase its recruitment by attracting renegades from other terrorist groups and the Taliban.
ISIL-K also recruits individuals who are not familiar with the security and intelligence services, and in the midterm, will continue to carry out low-impact attacks, combined with sporadic high-impact operations against soft targets to boost media propaganda, undermine economic and political interests, and undermine . The Taliban, the report said.
In the long term, the group will seek to drag Afghanistan into turmoil and gain and hold control of the region while expanding into northern regional countries and beyond.
Some member states estimate that ISIL-K has grown from 4,000 to 6,000 fighters despite losing territory and attrition among leaders, while others estimate its strength is still between 2,000 and 3,500 fighters, he said.
ISIL-K’s strategy to covertly infiltrate al-Qaeda-linked groups makes it difficult to estimate accurate numbers and the group’s loyal fighters.
The TTP has a strength of between 6,000 and 6,500 fighters, accompanied by approximately 14,000 family members.
Asserting that member states continue to be concerned about the situation related to foreign terrorist fighters, the report said, “Some member states noted an increase in travel from Arab and Central Asian countries to Afghanistan and some Indian citizens.”
The report notes that there is heightened concern about the terrorist threat looming in Afghanistan from ISIL-K and TTP in particular. But member states are also concerned about recent inbound travel to Afghanistan by some al-Qaeda personnel and their training, recruitment and reorganization activities.
In addition, it says that registered terrorist groups have increased their use of anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies. “Terrorist adoption of other technologies continues apace, providing military-grade capabilities available to approved terrorist groups,” he said, adding that these include the exploitation of 3D printing and the development of unmanned aerial and maritime weapons and surveillance systems.
Exploitation of these technologies has the potential to circumvent restrictions imposed under the ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaeda sanctions regime.
“The widespread accessibility of technology continues, putting military-grade capabilities in the hands of sanctioned terrorist groups,” he said.
