The Islamic State (ISIS or Daesh) after being expelled from the Middle East may turn towards India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to a report. The Islamic State already has a strong presence in Afghanistan and its flags have been widely seen in Jammu and Kashmir. However, according to the report around 54 people have joined the ISIS from the Indian state of Kerala in the last three years and none from Jammu and Kashmir.
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According to a research Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, ‘Wilayat-e-Hind’ (WeH) is the new part of the ISIS which is rapidly luring the youth in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and promoting the extremist ideology of the Islamic State.
The ongoing military operations in and around Pakistan’s border areas with Afghanistan have provided gaps to the ISIS militants who have quickly moved in either from Syria or Iraq and have the presence in across the bordering areas in Afghanistan, the study found. The report adds that the terror group is provoked by the governments of India and Bangladesh which are known for their ‘state-sponsored terrorism’.
ISIS in South Asia
The study titled “Prospects of Daesh’s Expansion in South Asia” says that an unorganised presence of WeH militants has been detected in parts of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and other South Asian nations.
The study accentuates that the Indian citizens, mainly from Kerala, find the ISIS ideology very attractive than any other group and at least 54 people from Kerala have announced to join the ISIS during the past three years. As per the secondary research by EurAsian Times, no person from the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been involved with the ISIS.
Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, dreaded terrorist organization ISIS (Islamic State), has set up its base in Afghanistan and threatens to target both Iran and Pakistan just like Syria and Iraq.
The study also states that the oppression in Kashmir as a key reason that more youth are joining the ISIS. “Growing unrest and protracted conflict of Kashmir is going to further complicate security dynamics of the region. More Kashmiri citizens joining Kashmir militancy is going to deepen the societal divide in Kashmir which may impact the whole region,” the study finds.
The torture and lynchings of Muslims in India at the hands of Hindu extremist groups may also add to the luring of youths towards the ISIS, the study notes.
The report also blames the regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh for targeting religious Muslim groups. The ongoing targeting of scholars linked to Jamat-e-Islami and other religious right-wing outfits has provoked youth in Bangladesh to take up arms.
