What We Know About ISIS-K, Alleged Perpetrators of Moscow Concert Hall Massacre

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

As questions remain about whether the group was behind the attack, here is what you need to know about ISIS-K.

At least 133 people died in a massacre at a concert hall in Moscow on the night of March 22 in what was the deadliest terror attack on Russian soil in more than a decade. ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), a terrorist group based in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the carnage.

The ISIS branch claimed responsibility for the massacre in a statement posted on affiliated social media channels, although neither the Kremlin nor Russian security services have officially assigned blame for the attack.

A U.S. intelligence official, meanwhile, told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had confirmed that ISIS was responsible for the attack.

Hinting at a potential Ukrainian involvement, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on March 23 that the attackers have co-conspirators on the Ukrainian side of the border.

โ€œThey were traveling toward Ukraine where, according to preliminary information, they had a window to cross the border,โ€ he said.

While questions remain concerning what the groupโ€™s motivations were or whether at all the group was behind the attack, here is what is known about ISIS-K.

ISIS-Kโ€™s Targets

Emerging in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014, ISIS-K remains one of the most active terrorist groups that fight under the ISIS banner. It has said it aims to create an Islamic caliphate spanning across West and Central Asia.

Over the past decade, ISIS-K has established a reputation for brutality, sometimes fighting against the Taliban, who now run the country after the United States and its allies withdrew their forces in August 2021. The groupโ€™s targets also include Iran, the Islamic Republic dominated by a clerical hierarchy following the Shia school, which they consider heretical.

In January, nearly 100 people were killed in two explosions at a ceremony in Iran to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani, who died in a U.S. drone strike four years ago. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack, which was confirmed by U.S. intelligence.

In September 2022, ISIS-K claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian Embassy in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Russia is one of the few countries to have maintained a diplomatic mission in Kabul after the Taliban takeover. While the Kremlin does not officially recognize the Taliban regime, there have been talks over a potential deal to import Russian oil products in exchange for Afghan minerals.

Byย Bill Pan

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

ChatGPT Goes Biblical about End Times!

There are some truly outstanding internet content creators, or...

Bangkok Indians: โ€˜You Are Lucky Manโ€™

In Bangkok, friendly prostitutes outside โ€œmassageโ€ shops tell me Iโ€™m โ€œso handsome man.โ€ Indian men prowling those streets tell me Iโ€™m โ€œlucky man.โ€

Epsteinโ€™s Niece Exposes the Illuminati!

There is a shocking interview by the podcaster Shaun Attwood, an English former ecstasy trafficker turned YouTube podcaster, speaker, activist, and author.

When Gynocrats Attack: Innocent Locker Room Talk Interrupted By Rabid Karen

The question posed: โ€œWho do you think has a...

Obamaโ€™s Treason is a Betrayal of American Democracy and Demands Real Accountability

Few scandals have cast a longer shadow than the 2016 Russia investigationโ€”the manufactured crisis by President Obama designed to cripple Trump's presidency.

Trumps America: Welpโ€ฆ that backfired.

The official @TheDemocrats account posted chart with the caption โ€œTrumpโ€™s Americaโ€ โ€” but didnโ€™t seem to notice how their own graph actually works.

Education Department to Release Billions in Withheld Grant Money for Schools

Dept. of Education said OMB completed a review of 2025 public education allocations โ€œand will begin dispersing funds to the states next week.โ€

Judge Maintains Nationwide Block on Trumpโ€™s Birthright Citizenship Order

A federal judge in Massachusetts has maintained his nationwide block on President Donald Trumpโ€™s policy restricting birthright citizenship.

COVID-19 Pandemic Accelerated Brain Aging Even in People Who Didnโ€™t Get Virus: Study

Brain aging appears to have accelerated by months during COVID-19 pandemic, even in people who did not get sick from the virus, according to study.

Ex-DOJ Officials File Lawsuit Against Bondi Over Terminations

Former DOJ officials filed lawsuit against AG Bondi and the fed. govt, saying they were terminated for work on cases related to Jan. 6 Capitol breach.

Odds of U.S.-EU Trade Deal Are 50โ€“50 Ahead of Tariff Deadline: Trump

President Donald Trump said thereโ€™s a 50โ€“50 chance that the United States will finalize a trade deal with the European Union before an Aug. 1 deadline.

Trump Pulls Habbaโ€™s Nomination for New Jerseyโ€™s Top Prosecutor, Making Her Acting US Attorney

President Trump withdrew his nomination of Alina Habba to serve as NJโ€™s top federal prosecutor, making her Acting US Attorney.

Trump Says He Wants Muskโ€™s Companies to โ€˜Thrive Like Never Beforeโ€™

On Thursday, President Trump said, โ€œI want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!โ€
spot_img

Related Articles