Al-Qaeda plans to spread into Bangladesh, J&K: UN report warns
The terrorist organisation is looking to spread its territory by targeting the Indian subcontinent.
According to a UN report, the terrorist organisation Al-Qaida is “shaping” its regional affiliate in the Indian subcontinent to expand its operations into Jammu and Kashmir, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The UN Security Council released its 32nd report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team of the 1267 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee this week, the report stated “One Member State assessed that Al-Qaida is shaping AQIS (Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent) to spread its operations into neighbouring Bangladesh,” Jammu and Kashmir and Myanmar.
The report also said, “that Member State also noted that certain limited elements of AQIS are ready to either join or collaborate with ISIL-K.” Al-Qaida’s core in Afghanistan continues to consist of 30 to 60 people, and the group’s combatants number 400, with 2,000 total if family members and followers are counted. Al-Qaida has about 200 fighters on the Indian Subcontinent, with Osama Mehmood serving as the emir. According to the report, some member states believed that Sayf al-Adl, who is supposedly still in Iran, had the best chance of succeeding Aiman al-Zawahiri as the leader of Al-Qaida.
ISIL-K was deemed by the member state to be the most serious terrorist threat in Afghanistan and the surrounding area due to its improved operational capacity inside of Afghanistan. There are between 4,000 and 6,000 ISIL-K members total, including family members. Although one of the ISIL-K’s member states claimed that Sanaullah Ghafari had been murdered in Afghanistan in June, the article emphasised that this had not yet been verified. Ghafari is regarded as the organization’s most ambitious leader.
“Overall, ISIL -K attacks demonstrated strong operational capability involving reconnoitre, coordination,
communication, planning and execution. Furthermore, attacks against high-profile Taliban figures in
Balkh, Badakhshan, and other provinces have boosted recruitment,” said the UN’s report. According to the report, Afghanistan continues to be a key hub for terrorism on a global scale, home to about 20 terrorist organisations. One member state said the objectives of these terrorist organisations are to establish theocratic quasi-states and expand their respective influence throughout the territories.
