New Delhi: With its stated aim of recruiting new members across Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, where it aims to increase its presence, the cash-rich Islamic State of Khorasan (ISK) is making attractive offers - from $500-a-month salary (about Rs 30,000) to laptops.
But according to a recently-released report by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) where many members of ISK were interviewed, the $500-a-month salary promise was not kept. "Multiple members claimed promises of high pay were not met and they instead received between 15,000 to 20,000 Pakistani rupees ($100-$130)," the report said.
"A wife of a now deceased ISK fighter also claimed her husband left his IT job in Punjab (India) for economic benefits," the report said thereby implying that recruitment drive in India is on.
Interestingly, on Sunday, a husband-wife duo, who were recruiting members for ISK, were arrested by the police from Delhi's Okhla area.
ISK was set up in Afghanistan on January 10, 2015, and had expanded quite rapidly in the insurgency-hit country since then. As of now, the ISK has its strongholds in Nangarhar, Kunar and also Kabul to a certain extent.
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While the ISK is spreading strong roots in restive northeastern Afghanistan neighbouring Pakistan, there have not been too many takers among Muslims in India to join the terror group. The job offer including free laptops has failed to significantly attract disaffected Indian Muslim youth, angry over the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) despite a stated ISK strategy to exploit the angst.
According to Arian Sharifi, former director-general, Strategic threat assessments, National Security Council of Afghanistan, ISK will be the next chapter of war in Afghanistan. "ISK is a big brand. It is like a magnet. Look at the history of ISK, It has only continued to grow. And if a deal with the Taliban comes though, many from the Taliban will join the ISK."
