Al-Qaeda in Indian subcontinent may spread to Jammu & Kashmir, warns UN report
Al-Qaeda is shaping its Indian subcontinent offshoot to spread its operations to Jammu and Kashmir, as well as to Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Al-Qaida core in Afghanistan remains stable at 30-60 members, while the number of Al-Qaeda fighters in that country is estimated to be 400, reaching 2,000 with family members and supporters included, according to the report prepared by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions & Associated Committee that deals with the ISIS and Al Qaeda. Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS, which is not listed by the UN) has about 200 fighters, with Osama Mehmood being the emir, according to the report.
Certain limited elements of AQIS are ready to either join or collaborate with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan or ISIL-K, the report stated, citing a UN member state. UN member states, according to the report, assessed ISIL-K as the most serious terrorist threat in Afghanistan and the wider region, benefiting from increased operational capabilities inside Afghanistan. «ISIL-K is estimated to have from 4,000 to 6,000 members, including family members.
Sanaullah Ghafari (alias Shahab al-Muhajir) is viewed as the most ambitious leader of ISIL-K. One member state reported that Ghafari was killed in Afghanistan in June. This remains to be confirmed.
Mawlawi Rajab is the leader of external operations for ISIL-K,» it said. ISIL-K is becoming more sophisticated in its attacks against both the Taliban and international targets. Overall, the ISIL-K attacks demonstrated strong operational capability involving reconnoitre, coordination, communication, planning and execution, the report noted.
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