Why India Should Be More Concerned About Al Qaeda Amidst Violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan
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In 2014, the fugitive commander of Al Qaeda (AQ), Ayman al-Zawahiri, announced the creation of a new wing of the group focused on waging jihad in the Indian subcontinent. In a 55-minute-long video, Zawahiri expressed his intention to expand Al Qaeda's operations throughout the region by stating, "Our brothers in Burma, Kashmir, Islamabad, Bangladesh we did not forget you in AQ and will liberate you from injustice and oppression." The announcement of the new wing of Al Qaeda came a few months after the Islamic State had declared its caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The group has since kept the Indian security agencies on tenterhooks with its transnational jihadi aspirations. It now aims to repurpose its propaganda addressing the growing communal tensions between the two most prominent religious communities in the biggest democracy in the world as the group looks to now expand its cadre in the country. As researchers and analysts focus on the ongoing endless bout of indiscriminate outbidding violence by Islamic State in Khorasan Pakistan (ISKP) and Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP), this “resurgence” of Al Qaeda propaganda aimed at India should not go unnoticed. This paper will examine Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent’s (AQIS) renewed focus and ambition in India.
Why India Should Be More Concerned About Al Qaeda Amidst Violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Why India Should Be More Concerned About Al…
Why India Should Be More Concerned About Al Qaeda Amidst Violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan
In 2014, the fugitive commander of Al Qaeda (AQ), Ayman al-Zawahiri, announced the creation of a new wing of the group focused on waging jihad in the Indian subcontinent. In a 55-minute-long video, Zawahiri expressed his intention to expand Al Qaeda's operations throughout the region by stating, "Our brothers in Burma, Kashmir, Islamabad, Bangladesh we did not forget you in AQ and will liberate you from injustice and oppression." The announcement of the new wing of Al Qaeda came a few months after the Islamic State had declared its caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The group has since kept the Indian security agencies on tenterhooks with its transnational jihadi aspirations. It now aims to repurpose its propaganda addressing the growing communal tensions between the two most prominent religious communities in the biggest democracy in the world as the group looks to now expand its cadre in the country. As researchers and analysts focus on the ongoing endless bout of indiscriminate outbidding violence by Islamic State in Khorasan Pakistan (ISKP) and Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP), this “resurgence” of Al Qaeda propaganda aimed at India should not go unnoticed. This paper will examine Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent’s (AQIS) renewed focus and ambition in India.