The Islamic State Pakistan Province (ISPP), through its media arm Nashir, has issued a stark warning to several countries in a recent threat image publication. This move comes amidst growing tensions and ongoing security concerns surrounding the activities of the terrorist organization. The IS Pakistan threat image, titled “Who is next?” prominently features the names of four nations: the United States, Denmark, China and India.
Although, issuing threat remains the default characteristic of any terrorist organisation it increases their visibility and centrality in talks under the global security architecture. In fact it is the basis of their relevance. But the recent threat can not be ignored, specially considering the recent chaotic terrorist attack in Russia and an attack on Chinese nationals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The series of incidents highlight that US, India, China are at the potential risk. The recent attack in Russia is the largest in past decades. The attack at Crocus Consert hall in Moscow suburbs took lives of over 130 people. Soon after the attack ISIS-K took the responsibility of the deadly masacre.
Talking about India, it has recently nabbed the head of ISIS India from the North eastern state of Assam. With due consideration, it is suffice to say that India has launched an effective crackdown on the terror modules active across the country to which ISIS is no exception.
Apart from that, ISKP has recently released a Pashto magazine titled “Khorasan Ghag”, accusing the Afghan Taliban of normalising relations with India, which it considers against the Islam-based terror conduct.
While US has been an archrival and a permanent entity on the hit list, Denmark’s historic resistance against the terror group has made it a potent target for ISIS.
China and ISIS
The fourth country mentioned in the threat image is China. Now China has been largely unaffected by the Islamic terrorism when it comes to the home, however, it has definitely been at the receiving end in various parts of the Asia.
After the TTP denied it’s involvement in the recent attack on Chinese engineers’ vehicle in Basham area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, that left 5 of them killed along with one other, there are strong suspicion that ISIS Pakistan province of ISIS-K must have been behind the attacks.
Also, this is not the first time that such an attack has been orchestrated by ISIS. 2017, ISIS-Kidnapped and killed two Chinese nationals within Pakistani territory. Additionally, Chinese nationals were subjected to a targeted attack in Kabul just last year.
The bone of contention between ISIS and China is still not determined. But considering the growing stature of China on the global scale with a strong military might and expansive influence across continents, a group of terrorist would need no moral ground to pose resistance, besides, the ISIS may use the persecution of Uyghur Muslims as it’s basis of friction.
So, threat looms large over the world and frequent attacks could give ISIS a revival through the Khorasan module, which was so far active in fragile security climate of Afghanistan, Pakistan only.