According to what was stated by theFsb in a note cited by the news agency Tax the suspects had purchased a vehicle and equipped it with propane gas cylinders, while constructing an improvised explosive device. “When arrested, the suspects resisted arrest and were neutralized by return fire,” the FSB said. The Russian Federal Security Service described the individuals as members of “Wilayat Khorasan”, the branch of the Islamic State group operating in Afghanistan. Wilayat Khorasanthe Afghan branch of the Islamic State (ISIS), first appeared in 2014 in eastern Afghanistan, quickly gaining widespread notoriety for the brutality of its actions. After intense activity culminating in 2018, the group suffered an apparent decline due to losses inflicted by both US Forces and the Taliban. Then thanks to the astute leader identified in Sanaullah Ghafarialso known by his nom de guerre Shahab al-Muhajiron which the USA has placed a bounty of ten million dollars, the terrorist group has seen the arrival among its ranks of dissatisfied people al-Qaedaof the Taliban and members of the Afghan Armed Forces who, thanks to their experience, have given new life to the group so much so that today the Taliban no longer control the‘ Afghanistan. According to the US State Department, Ghafari was appointed Emir of the group in June 2020. Under his leadership, ISIS-K continued to target US Forces, their allies and civilians, perpetuating a strategy of brutal attacks and indiscriminate.
The term «Khorasan» means «The land of the sun» and refers, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to a historical region that includes portions of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The group’s stated goal is the creation of a new caliphate that includes these three countries, as well as some former Soviet republics such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This vision represents a direct threat to Russia, which retains memories of Islamist rebellions in the North Caucasus, including wars in Chechnya of the Nineties and a series of terrorist attacks which caused numerous civilian victims, including in Moscow. According to US experts, ISIS-K has infiltrated Russia in the last two years, accusing the country of anti-Muslim activities and escalating tension in the region. The FSB said the group, made up of individuals from Central Asia, was planning to target a Russian Interior Ministry office in Moscow. Security Forces began to suspect the group while surveilling the proposed target, the FSB added. The authorities launched an investigation and a search of the suspects’ home revealed ammunition and components for making explosives. The incident highlights security concerns raised by Russia and neighboring Central Asian nations following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. The United Nations and other international observers have reported the presence of more than 20 terrorist groups in Afghanistan, including al-Qaeda which has a symbiotic relationship with the Taliban and the Islamic State. The FSB did not reveal the identities of the suspects or provide further details about the planned attack, saying the investigation was still ongoing. The regional branch of the Islamic State based between Afghanistan and Pakistan during 2024 has demonstrated its ability to move outside its traditional borders both through multilingual propaganda and through significant terrorist activities. In 2024, ISIS Khorasan was responsible for major attacks in various countries, including the January 3 attack at the tomb of Qassem Soleimania Kerman, Iran, on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the killing of the Iranian General by the United States, and that of March 22 at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, near Fly. Furthermore, ISIS-K has inspired or encouraged numerous terrorist plans, including on European soil. It is logical to expect that this branch of ISIS will continue to pose a significant threat well into 2025, and not just to Russia.
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