The deadly bombing of a popular Moscow concert hall last week that killed over 130 people has shone the spotlight once again on the growing terrorist threat posed by ISIS-Khorosan, also known as ISIS-K. According to latest intelligence assessments, ISIS-K maintains a fighting force of 4000-6000 terrorists across Afghanistan and neighboring regions, making it one of the most well-organized terror outfits today.
While the dominant ISIS faction in Iraq and Syria has largely been defeated, experts warn that ISIS-K has rapidly expanded its area of operations in recent years. The group has claimed responsibility for numerous high-profile attacks, including the suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Kunduz last month that killed over 100 worshippers. In January, ISIS-K also orchestrated a devastating double bombing at a memorial ceremony in Iran that killed over 90 people.
US officials had provided intelligence warnings to both Russian and Iranian governments about impending ISIS-K attacks prior to the Moscow and Tehran strikes. However, the alerts appear to have been ignored in Moscow. The brazen airport attack during the US evacuation from Kabul last year that killed 170 Afghans and 13 American soldiers also bears the ISIS-K signature.
Comprising radicals from Pakistan, Central Asia, and the Middle East, ISIS-K sees both the Taliban regime and regional governments like Iran as enemies. It aggressively recruits from militant groups across the region with the aim of establishing a foothold. The terror outfit is also attempting to inspire sympathizers worldwide through such high-profile attacks on Russian and Western targets.
While the group operates mostly in Afghanistan currently, analysts warn that ISIS-K also has aspirations to carry out attacks in Europe and the US. Improved counterterrorism cooperation will be key to dismantling the organization's network and curbing its growing regional and global activities. With its expanding strike capabilities demonstrated, ISIS-K now emerges as one of the most potent terror threats faced internationally.
