As the world woke up to the news of a deadly shooting at a concert in Moscow, the focus of the geopolitical powers shifted to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan (ISIS-K), also known as ISKP or ISK, which claimed responsibility for the terror attack at Crocus City Hall. The attack, carried out by men in camouflage gear, reportedly claimed at least 82 lives, according to independent online news portal The Spectator Index. The Russian Embassy in India has, however, confirmed 60 deaths so far.
The ISIS-K is an affiliate of the Islamic State movement in Afghanistan, acknowledged by the leadership of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The group poses a persistent threat to American and allied interests in South and Central Asia, according to Business Standard.
Islamic terrorist org. Islamic State IS/ISIS has claimed responsibility for the cowardly terrorist attack at #CrocusCityHall in #Moscow,
Now Putin’s destruction will rain down on IS. We Stand with #Russia pic.twitter.com/GRPgGs76L2
— 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫 آدھا انجینئر (@Halfenginear) March 23, 2024
The ‘K’ in ISIS-K denotes Khorasan, representing the Islamic State’s presence in Pakistan and Afghanistan, regions where US forces have engaged with al-Qaida militants and the Taliban since 2001, according to Business Standard. They are deemed the most radical and violent among jihadist factions in Afghanistan, reports the BBC.
Established in January 2015 during IS’s dominance in Iraq and Syria, IS-K recruits members from both Afghanistan and Pakistan, particularly drawing in disenchanted individuals from the Afghan Taliban who perceive their own group as insufficiently extreme, according to the BBC. It was set up by former members of the Pakistani Taliban, Afghan Taliban, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the ISIS-K comprises several extremist organisations committed to advancing the radical ideology of the Islamic State and establishing a foothold in Afghanistan on behalf of ISIS, reports Business Standard. IS-K declared a separate Pakistan section in May 2019.
🕯️As a sign of mourning and grief for the victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow, the Russian Embassy in India flies the national flag at half-mast.
We express our sincere condolences to the families of those deceased and wish a speedy recovery to all those injured. pic.twitter.com/bDwut30813
— Russia in India 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbIndia) March 23, 2024
The term “Khorasan” refers to a historical region encompassing parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan.
At its peak, IS-K boasted approximately 3,000 fighters. However, sustained confrontations with the US, Afghan security forces, and the Taliban have inflicted significant casualties.
⚡️ At least three men wearing camouflage opened fire at Crocus City Hall, a popular concert venue in Moscow’s suburbs, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency has reported.
At least 12 people have reportedly been killed and 35 injured, the Baza Telegram channel said, without… pic.twitter.com/YvfouAA7U5
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) March 22, 2024
Past Attacks By ISIS-K
IS-K has perpetrated attacks targeting Afghan security forces, politicians, ministries, religious minorities such as Shia Muslims and Sikhs, as well as US and NATO forces, and international aid agencies. Infamous for brutal acts, they have targeted girls’ schools, hospitals, and even a maternity ward, where pregnant women and nurses were reportedly shot dead.
Distinct from the Taliban, whose focus is primarily domestic, IS-K operates within the broader IS network, aiming to execute assaults on Western, international, and humanitarian entities globally.
Since January 2017, ISIS-K has carried out nearly 100 attacks targeting civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan, along with approximately 250 clashes with US, Afghan, and Pakistani security forces.
The BBC quotes a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies that ISIS-K maintains a core group of 1,500 to 2,200 fighters in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan, with smaller cells dispersed across the country.
Over time, ISIS-K has sought to consolidate territorial control in rural districts of northern and northeastern Afghanistan, initially focusing on public spaces, government institutions, minority groups, and major cities in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
By 2018, ISIS-K had risen to become one of the top four deadliest terrorist organisations globally, as per the Institute for Economics and Peace’s Global Terrorism Index, receiving funding exceeding $100 million and training from the Islamic State’s central leadership in Iraq and Syria.
Decline Of ISIS-K
On August 28, 2021, a planner for ISIS-Khorasan was killed in a “counterterrorism” operation by US military forces in Nangarhar province, following a deadly terror attack in Kabul that claimed numerous lives, including 13 US troops.
In late 2019 and early 2020, ISIS-K suffered territorial and leadership setbacks at the hands of the US-led coalition and Afghan allies, leading over 1,400 fighters and their families to surrender to the Afghan government.
ISIS-K and the Taliban maintain a hostile relationship due to ideological disparities and competition for resources. ISIS-K views the Taliban as “filthy nationalists” aspiring solely to govern Afghanistan, a stance conflicting with the Islamic State’s vision of establishing a global caliphate.
IS-K operates primarily in the eastern province of Nangarhar, strategically located near drug and human trafficking routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. While their main activities occur in Nangarhar and Kabul, they have also claimed attacks in Kunar, Jowzjan, Paktia, Kunduz, and Herat provinces.
A helicopter from the Ministry of Emergency Situations extinguishes a fire in Crocus City Hall pic.twitter.com/sq3la6tbum
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 22, 2024
Why Did ISIS-K Target Russia?
According to the New York Times, the US had warned of a terror attack in Moscow. The US intelligence indicated a planned attack which would target large gatherings, such as the concert. The US even issued an advisory to its citizens in Russia and Kremlin authorities about the same.
News agency Reuters quoted experts who cited ISIS-K’s longstanding opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin as the reason behind the attack. “ISIS-K has directed its focus towards Russia in recent years, frequently denouncing Putin in its propaganda,” Reuters quoted Colin Clarke of the Soufan Center, a Washington-based research group.
Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center in Washington was quoted as saying that ISIS-K views Russia as complicit in actions that oppress Muslims, with a significant number of Central Asian militants within its ranks harbouring grievances against Moscow.
It is clear that the ISIS-K is looking for a resurgence and targeting nations other than Afghanistan will help it garner global attention.
