Islamic&nbsp;State&nbsp;claimed responsibility for an attack on Sunday that killed 11 miners from Pakistan’s minority Shi’ite Hazaras in Baluchistan province.

The attack took place early on Sunday morning in the Mach area of Bolan district around 100 kms southeast of Baluchistan's capital Quetta, killing the miners who were in a shared residential room near the coal mine where they worked, officials said.

“The throats of all coal miners have been slit, after their hands were tied behind their backs and (they were) blind folded,” a security official told Reuters, requesting anonymity as he is not allowed to speak to media.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gunmen-kill-11-miners-in-balochistan-354211" hreflang="en">Gunmen kill 11 miners in Balochistan</a>

A video clip making the rounds on WhatsApp groups, apparently shot by a first responder, showed three bodies lying outside the room and the rest inside in pools of blood.

“The condemnable killing of 11 innocent coal miners in Mach Baluchistan is yet another cowardly inhuman act of terrorism,” Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet.

“Have asked Frontier Constabulary to use all resources to apprehend these killers and bring them to justice,” he said.

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Islamic&nbsp;State&nbsp;later claimed responsibility for the attack, through its Amaq news agency via its Telegram communications channel.

The attack came after a relative lull in nearly a year of violence against the mainly Shi’ite Hazara minority in the province.

In April, a market suicide bombing killed 18 people, half of whom were Hazaras.

Following Sunday's attack, members of the Hazara minority in Quetta blocked the western bypass and set fire to tyres to protest against the killings.

Baluchistan is the focus of the $60-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a transport and energy link planned between western China and Pakistan’s southern deepwater port of Gwadar.

Hazaras have been frequently targeted by Taliban and&nbsp;Islamic&nbsp;State&nbsp;militants and other Sunni Muslim militant groups in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The attacks in Afghanistan have been claimed by an affiliate of&nbsp;Islamic&nbsp;State.

In 2013, three bombings killed more than 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods in Quetta.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on Sunday that killed 11 miners from Pakistan’s minority Shi’ite Hazaras in Baluchistan province. The attack took place early on Sunday morning in the Mach area of Bolan district around 100 kms southeast of Baluchistan's capital Quetta, killing the miners who were in a shared residential room near the coal mine where they worked, officials said.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on Sunday that killed 11 miners from Pakistan’s minority Shi’ite Hazaras in Baluchistan province. The attack took place early on Sunday morning in the Mach area of Bolan district around 100 kms southeast of Baluchistan's capital Quetta, killing the miners who were in a shared residential room near the coal mine where they worked, officials said. “The throats of all coal miners have been slit, after their hands were tied behind their backs and (they were) blind folded,” a security official told Reuters, requesting anonymity as he is not allowed to speak to media. Also read: Gunmen kill 11 miners in Balochistan A video clip making the rounds on WhatsApp groups, apparently shot by a first responder, showed three bodies lying outside the room and the rest inside in pools of blood. “The condemnable killing of 11 innocent coal miners in Mach Baluchistan is yet another cowardly inhuman act of terrorism,” Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet. “Have asked Frontier Constabulary to use all resources to apprehend these killers and bring them to justice,” he said. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack, through its Amaq news agency via its Telegram communications channel. The attack came after a relative lull in nearly a year of violence against the mainly Shi’ite Hazara minority in the province. In April, a market suicide bombing killed 18 people, half of whom were Hazaras. Following Sunday's attack, members of the Hazara minority in Quetta blocked the western bypass and set fire to tyres to protest against the killings. Baluchistan is the focus of the $60-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a transport and energy link planned between western China and Pakistan’s southern deepwater port of Gwadar. Hazaras have been frequently targeted by Taliban and Islamic State militants and other Sunni Muslim militant groups in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The attacks in Afghanistan have been claimed by an affiliate of Islamic State. In 2013, three bombings killed more than 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods in Quetta.

Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on Pakistan's Shi'ite Hazara minority that killed 11

The notorious Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the knife attack that took place in Russia's&nbsp;southern Chechnya region in which one policeman was killed, a local newspaper reported on Friday morning.

On Monday,&nbsp;two assailants had attacked a policeman with knives, leading to his death, and had also injured one other police officer, who is now in a stable condition, the local police department reported.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-half-of-chinese-population-believes-russia-is-its-most-important-ally-353606">Over half of Chinese population believes Russia is its most important ally</a>

The local police officials were able to contain the 'terrorist' attack by killing the&nbsp;two assailants on the scene of the crime itself. No civilian casualty was reported.&nbsp;

"On Monday, two terrorists armed with knives attempted to seize the weapons of the patrol police officers who were serving in the centre of Grozny," said Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. "I express my deep condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of the heroically deceased police officer."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-angry-mob-attacks-and-sets-fire-to-hindu-temple-in-pakistan-353697">WATCH|</a>

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The area has been a key area of tension for the past few years.&nbsp;The poor and mainly Muslim region has seen previous attacks on security officials and an insurgency since Moscow fought two wars with separatists after the 1991 Soviet Union breakup.

Assailants were, reportedly, two bothers from the neighbouring area of&nbsp;Ingushetia. The two brothers are reported to be employees of a local bakery, and were shot dead by the police officers on the crime scene while they were trying to seize the weapons.

While the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, the terror group has not provided any evidence for the same.

The notorious Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the knife attack that took place in Russia's southern Chechnya region in which one policeman was killed, a local newspaper reported on Friday morning.

The notorious Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the knife attack that took place in Russia's southern Chechnya region in which one policeman was killed, a local newspaper reported on Friday morning. On Monday, two assailants had attacked a policeman with knives, leading to his death, and had also injured one other police officer, who is now in a stable condition, the local police department reported. Also read| Over half of Chinese population believes Russia is its most important ally The local police officials were able to contain the 'terrorist' attack by killing the two assailants on the scene of the crime itself. No civilian casualty was reported. "On Monday, two terrorists armed with knives attempted to seize the weapons of the patrol police officers who were serving in the centre of Grozny," said Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. "I express my deep condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of the heroically deceased police officer." WATCH| × The area has been a key area of tension for the past few years. The poor and mainly Muslim region has seen previous attacks on security officials and an insurgency since Moscow fought two wars with separatists after the 1991 Soviet Union breakup. Assailants were, reportedly, two bothers from the neighbouring area of Ingushetia. The two brothers are reported to be employees of a local bakery, and were shot dead by the police officers on the crime scene while they were trying to seize the weapons. While the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, the terror group has not provided any evidence for the same.

Islamic State claims responsibility for Russia's knife attack

Islamic State group jihadists killed 37 soldiers when they ambushed a bus Wednesday in one of the deadliest attacks since the fall of their "caliphate" last year, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor targeted the regime soldiers as they travelled home for holidays.

The official news agency SANA reported that a "terrorist attack" on a bus killed "25 citizens" and wounded 13.

IS overran large parts of Syria and Iraq and proclaimed a cross-border "caliphate" in 2014, before multiple offensives in the two countries led to its territorial defeat.

The group was overcome in Syria in March last year, but sleeper cells continue to launch attacks namely in the vast desert that stretches from the central province of Homs to Deir Ezzor and the border with Iraq.

"It was one of the deadliest attacks since the fall of the IS (self-proclaimed) caliphate" last year, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP, referring to Wednesday's bus ambush.

Abdel Rahman said the bus was attacked near the village of Shula by jihadists who detonated roadside bombs before opening fire on the soldiers who belonged to the army's 4th division.

At least 37 soldiers were killed, including eight officers, and 12 others wounded, the war monitor said in an updated toll, adding that some of those injured were in "critical condition".

Two other buses which were part of the convoy managed to escape, the Observatory said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

In December 2017, Iraq's then prime minister Haider al-Abadi announced a final victory against the IS and the group lost the last shred of their so-called caliphate in Syria in March 2019.

But sleeper cells have retained their ability to strike despite losing the territory they once held in both Iraq and Syria, operating mostly in the vast desert between the two countries.

In recent months Syria's Badia desert was the scene of regular clashes between the jihadists and Russian-backed Syrian regime forces.

In April, 27 fighters loyal to the Damascus government and allied Iran-backed militiamen were killed in an IS attack near the desert city of Al-Sukhna which is under regime control.

The war in Syria has killed more than 387,000 people since it started in 2011, the Observatory says.

The dead include more than 130,500 pro-government fighters, among them foreigners.

And since March 2019 more than 1,300 Syrian soldiers and allied pro-Iranian militiamen and over 600 IS fighters have been killed, according to the Observatory.

Islamic State group jihadists killed 37 soldiers when they ambushed a bus Wednesday in one of the deadliest attacks since the fall of their "caliphate" last year, a monitor said.

Islamic State group jihadists killed 37 soldiers when they ambushed a bus Wednesday in one of the deadliest attacks since the fall of their "caliphate" last year, a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor targeted the regime soldiers as they travelled home for holidays. The official news agency SANA reported that a "terrorist attack" on a bus killed "25 citizens" and wounded 13. IS overran large parts of Syria and Iraq and proclaimed a cross-border "caliphate" in 2014, before multiple offensives in the two countries led to its territorial defeat. The group was overcome in Syria in March last year, but sleeper cells continue to launch attacks namely in the vast desert that stretches from the central province of Homs to Deir Ezzor and the border with Iraq. "It was one of the deadliest attacks since the fall of the IS (self-proclaimed) caliphate" last year, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP, referring to Wednesday's bus ambush. Abdel Rahman said the bus was attacked near the village of Shula by jihadists who detonated roadside bombs before opening fire on the soldiers who belonged to the army's 4th division. At least 37 soldiers were killed, including eight officers, and 12 others wounded, the war monitor said in an updated toll, adding that some of those injured were in "critical condition". Two other buses which were part of the convoy managed to escape, the Observatory said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. In December 2017, Iraq's then prime minister Haider al-Abadi announced a final victory against the IS and the group lost the last shred of their so-called caliphate in Syria in March 2019. But sleeper cells have retained their ability to strike despite losing the territory they once held in both Iraq and Syria, operating mostly in the vast desert between the two countries. In recent months Syria's Badia desert was the scene of regular clashes between the jihadists and Russian-backed Syrian regime forces. In April, 27 fighters loyal to the Damascus government and allied Iran-backed militiamen were killed in an IS attack near the desert city of Al-Sukhna which is under regime control. The war in Syria has killed more than 387,000 people since it started in 2011, the Observatory says. The dead include more than 130,500 pro-government fighters, among them foreigners. And since March 2019 more than 1,300 Syrian soldiers and allied pro-Iranian militiamen and over 600 IS fighters have been killed, according to the Observatory.

IS bus ambush kills 37 soldiers in Syria

Iraq's largest Christmas tree has gone up in the capital's Al-Zaura theme park to celebrate Christmas and the three-year anniversary of the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) group.

Christmas tree in Baghdad to celebrate diversity

Germany and Finland have repatriated 23 of their nationals mostly women and children from Syria some of them under criminal investigation allegdly belonging to the islamic state terror group.

Germany, Finland repatriate citizens from Syria terrorist camps

A successful peace process with the Taliban will allow the government to focus its resources on countering the Islamic State group and its attacks on soft targets, Afghanistan's national security adviser said Saturday.

Afghanistan is grappling with a surge in violence that has worsened despite landmark peace talks with the Taliban which began in September in Qatar.

The Islamic State jihadist group has claimed a series of assaults on vulnerable targets, including a November attack on Kabul university which saw gunmen detonate grenades and spray automatic fire across the campus.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/as-afghanistans-iconic-chicken-street-fades-peace-brings-new-hope-347017">As Afghanistan's iconic chicken street fades, peace brings new hope</a>

Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan's national security adviser, said that although IS had been dislodged from the territory it controlled and its funding sources disrupted, the group maintained a "network of terror".

"Of course those attacks by themselves are quite damaging, they bring a lot of fear to our people, and we are working very hard to prevent them from attacking our cities," he told AFP.

"We do face a lot of threats... so our resources are stretched," he said on the sidelines of a security conference in Bahrain's capital.

"One of the reasons we're focused on this peace process with the Taliban is that if we were to achieve peace with the Taliban, our security forces will be able to divert their capabilities onto terrorist groups like Daesh (IS) and then we can contain them much easier."

The Doha talks have made headway in recent days, setting out a code of conduct that will allow the process to move to the next stage of setting out the agenda for negotiations.

"It has been a long conflict, four decades -- to end that conflict there are, of course, a lot of grievances that need to be addressed," Mohib said.

"Everyone's tired. The demand of the Afghan people is to end this conflict, but there are a lot of differences," he said. "But I think in good spirit, we will be able to achieve peace."

Drawdown 'strain'&nbsp;

The warring sides have been engaging directly for the first time, following a troop withdrawal deal signed in February by the insurgents and Washington.

The US agreed to withdraw all foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees and a Taliban pledge to hold talks with Kabul.

However, the process has been overshadowed by the surge of violence in recent weeks, with the Taliban launching near daily attacks against government forces.

"The Taliban wanted to get the maximum advantage at the negotiating table and I think they perhaps were testing the Afghan security forces, maybe also on how far it will go before our allies come to our support," Mohib said.

President Donald Trump has ordered the US troop presence in Afghanistan to be slashed from 4,500 to 2,500 by mid-January, a move Mohib said would put the Afghan military under pressure.

"It will strain our capabilities and of course it will affect those training and maintenance facilities that are being built," he said, forcing them to speed up plans to make the air force self-sufficient.

"We still rely on US air power for a lot of the conflict and we need that to maintain our advantage over the Taliban until our own capabilities are built."

A successful peace process with the Taliban will allow the government to focus its resources on countering the Islamic State group and its attacks on soft targets, Afghanistan's national security adviser said Saturday.

A successful peace process with the Taliban will allow the government to focus its resources on countering the Islamic State group and its attacks on soft targets, Afghanistan's national security adviser said Saturday. Afghanistan is grappling with a surge in violence that has worsened despite landmark peace talks with the Taliban which began in September in Qatar. The Islamic State jihadist group has claimed a series of assaults on vulnerable targets, including a November attack on Kabul university which saw gunmen detonate grenades and spray automatic fire across the campus. Also read | As Afghanistan's iconic chicken street fades, peace brings new hope Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan's national security adviser, said that although IS had been dislodged from the territory it controlled and its funding sources disrupted, the group maintained a "network of terror". "Of course those attacks by themselves are quite damaging, they bring a lot of fear to our people, and we are working very hard to prevent them from attacking our cities," he told AFP. "We do face a lot of threats... so our resources are stretched," he said on the sidelines of a security conference in Bahrain's capital. "One of the reasons we're focused on this peace process with the Taliban is that if we were to achieve peace with the Taliban, our security forces will be able to divert their capabilities onto terrorist groups like Daesh (IS) and then we can contain them much easier." The Doha talks have made headway in recent days, setting out a code of conduct that will allow the process to move to the next stage of setting out the agenda for negotiations. "It has been a long conflict, four decades -- to end that conflict there are, of course, a lot of grievances that need to be addressed," Mohib said. "Everyone's tired. The demand of the Afghan people is to end this conflict, but there are a lot of differences," he said. "But I think in good spirit, we will be able to achieve peace." Drawdown 'strain' The warring sides have been engaging directly for the first time, following a troop withdrawal deal signed in February by the insurgents and Washington. The US agreed to withdraw all foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees and a Taliban pledge to hold talks with Kabul. However, the process has been overshadowed by the surge of violence in recent weeks, with the Taliban launching near daily attacks against government forces. "The Taliban wanted to get the maximum advantage at the negotiating table and I think they perhaps were testing the Afghan security forces, maybe also on how far it will go before our allies come to our support," Mohib said. President Donald Trump has ordered the US troop presence in Afghanistan to be slashed from 4,500 to 2,500 by mid-January, a move Mohib said would put the Afghan military under pressure. "It will strain our capabilities and of course it will affect those training and maintenance facilities that are being built," he said, forcing them to speed up plans to make the air force self-sufficient. "We still rely on US air power for a lot of the conflict and we need that to maintain our advantage over the Taliban until our own capabilities are built."

Peace deal with Taliban will help in fighting IS: Afghan official

The four men accused of being accomplices&nbsp;in the killing of an 85-year-old&nbsp;French priest&nbsp;will face a trial by a special jury, which in France is reserved for the most serious crimes.

Jacques Hamel was killed in cold blood in July 2016 as a group of men from the Islamic State (IS) group slit his throat&nbsp;at the foot of the altar. The two murderers were killed by the police, and four others were arrested on the suspicion of being accomplices of the murderers.

The news agency AFP has released exclusive information that the&nbsp;investigating magistrates said the four would face a special jury court, meeting a demand by prosecutors last month.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-shocked-to-hear-black-music-producer-being-beaten-by-french-police-officers-detained-345812">Macron 'shocked' to hear Black music producer being beaten by French police; officers detained</a>

One of the main accused is&nbsp;Rachid Kassim, who is being believed to be an IS recruiter and has also been accused of instigating the incident. Although he was assumed dead in Iraq in 2017, he&nbsp;will be tried in absentia as his death has never been confirmed.

The other three face less serious charges of having involvement with a terrorist organisation. One of these three has been identified as&nbsp;Yassine S. who has admitted to travelling with the murderers to apparently "to learn about religion" but has also claimed to have left their company a day before the attack. The other two, identified as&nbsp;Jean-Philippe Steven Jean-Louis and Farid K., are also being charged with being a part of the terrorist group, despite being aware of the intent of the murderers.

The four will be put on trial soon, now, years after the French priest was murdered in cold blood. His death was followed by a series of attack in the capital city of France.

The four men accused of being accomplices in the killing of an 85-year-old French priest will face a trial by a special jury, which in France is reserved for the most serious crimes.

The four men accused of being accomplices in the killing of an 85-year-old French priest will face a trial by a special jury, which in France is reserved for the most serious crimes. Jacques Hamel was killed in cold blood in July 2016 as a group of men from the Islamic State (IS) group slit his throat at the foot of the altar. The two murderers were killed by the police, and four others were arrested on the suspicion of being accomplices of the murderers. The news agency AFP has released exclusive information that the investigating magistrates said the four would face a special jury court, meeting a demand by prosecutors last month. Also read| Macron 'shocked' to hear Black music producer being beaten by French police; officers detained One of the main accused is Rachid Kassim, who is being believed to be an IS recruiter and has also been accused of instigating the incident. Although he was assumed dead in Iraq in 2017, he will be tried in absentia as his death has never been confirmed. The other three face less serious charges of having involvement with a terrorist organisation. One of these three has been identified as Yassine S. who has admitted to travelling with the murderers to apparently "to learn about religion" but has also claimed to have left their company a day before the attack. The other two, identified as Jean-Philippe Steven Jean-Louis and Farid K., are also being charged with being a part of the terrorist group, despite being aware of the intent of the murderers. The four will be put on trial soon, now, years after the French priest was murdered in cold blood. His death was followed by a series of attack in the capital city of France.

Four accused of killing French priest in 2016 to face special jury trial

Islamic State accepted responsibility for terrorist attack in Kabul, reported AFP. The terror attack has claimed at least 8 lives. The terrorist attack was earlier blamed on Taliban. The terrorist attack in Kabul took place in densely populated part of the city including near heavily fortified Green Zone. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for Kabul attack through its Telegram channels.

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&nbsp;

Islamic State&nbsp;said 28 Katyusha rockets fired by "soldiers of the caliphate" hit Kabul's heavily fortified Green Zone that houses "the presidential palace, embassies of Crusader states, and the headquarters of Afghan forces".&nbsp;

The Afghan government initially blamed Taliban but it denied responsibility of the attack.

"The terrorists fired 23 rockets on the city of Kabul. Based on the initial information, eight people were martyred, and 31 others were wounded," said interior ministry spokesman Tariq Arian earlier, as quoted by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-kabul-rocked-by-several-rocket-explosions-344461">Afghanistan rocket explosions: Death toll jumps to 8; govt blames Taliban</a> 
 
The terrorist attack in Kabul took place around 0430 hours (GMT) on Saturday.&nbsp;

Green Zone, the heavily fortified area in Kabul that houses embassies was also affected.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mike-pompeo-to-meet-taliban-afghan-negotiators-in-doha-344444">Mike Pompeo to meet Taliban, Afghan negotiators in Doha</a> 
 
At least one rocket landed in an office inside the Green Zone, but did not explode.

The Iranian embassy said on Twitter that its main building had been hit by rocket fragments after one landed on the premises. No one in the compound, located just outside the Green Zone, was wounded.

The terror attack in Kabul took place on the day when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mike-pompeo-to-meet-taliban-afghan-negotiators-in-doha-344444">travelling to Qatar</a> to hold discussions with Taliban delegation on the&nbsp;Afghan peace process.

Islamic State accepted responsibility for terrorist attack in Kabul, reported AFP. The terror attack has claimed at least 8 lives. The terrorist attack was earlier blamed on Taliban.

Islamic State accepted responsibility for terrorist attack in Kabul, reported AFP. The terror attack has claimed at least 8 lives. The terrorist attack was earlier blamed on Taliban. The terrorist attack in Kabul took place in densely populated part of the city including near heavily fortified Green Zone. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for Kabul attack through its Telegram channels. × Islamic State said 28 Katyusha rockets fired by "soldiers of the caliphate" hit Kabul's heavily fortified Green Zone that houses "the presidential palace, embassies of Crusader states, and the headquarters of Afghan forces". The Afghan government initially blamed Taliban but it denied responsibility of the attack. "The terrorists fired 23 rockets on the city of Kabul. Based on the initial information, eight people were martyred, and 31 others were wounded," said interior ministry spokesman Tariq Arian earlier, as quoted by news agency AFP. Also Read | Afghanistan rocket explosions: Death toll jumps to 8; govt blames Taliban The terrorist attack in Kabul took place around 0430 hours (GMT) on Saturday. Green Zone, the heavily fortified area in Kabul that houses embassies was also affected. Also Read | Mike Pompeo to meet Taliban, Afghan negotiators in Doha At least one rocket landed in an office inside the Green Zone, but did not explode. The Iranian embassy said on Twitter that its main building had been hit by rocket fragments after one landed on the premises. No one in the compound, located just outside the Green Zone, was wounded. The terror attack in Kabul took place on the day when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was travelling to Qatar to hold discussions with Taliban delegation on the Afghan peace process.

Kabul terror attack: Islamic State claims responsibility

In October, an ISIS spokesman called for attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil pipelines and economic infrastructure. Despite being weak, the Islamic State has launched a shadow war against Saudi Arabia. Palki Sharma Upadhyay brings you a report.

Gravitas: Islamic State's shadow war against Saudi Arabia

Islamic State(IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-saudi-man-crashes-car-into-meccas-grand-mosque-339196">Saudi </a>cemetery on Wednesday where European diplomats had gathered for World War I commemoration.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blast-in-jeddah-cemetery-in-saudi-arabia-with-several-european-diplomats-present-342401">Also Read:&nbsp;Blast in Jeddah cemetery in Saudi Arabia with several European diplomats present</a>

In a statement on Telegram channel, the terrorist organization said: "IS fighters planted an explosive device in... the cemetery in the city of Jeddah yesterday (Wednesday)."

The group said the attack was carried out&nbsp;"in support" of the Prophet Mohammed.

After the blast, France cautioned its citizens to be on &nbsp;"maximum vigilance" as Greece, UK and the US assured Saudi authorities they would support an investigation into the attack.

The incident comes just a month after a guard at the French consulate in Jeddah was wounded by a knife-wielding Saudi amid anger over satirical cartoons of Prophet Mohammed.

Watch:

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Diplomats of various European countries had gathered for the Armistice Day commemoration ceremony in the Red Sea port city and as the French consul was delivering a speech during the ceremony when the&nbsp;blast took place triggering panic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/terrorist-cell-trained-by-irans-revolutionary-guards-busted-by-saudi-arabia-331051">Also Read:&nbsp;Terrorist cell trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards busted by Saudi Arabia</a>

The French foreign ministry said: "The annual ceremony commemorating the end of World War I at the non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah, attended by several consulates, including that of France, was the target of an IED (improvised explosive device) attack this morning, which injured several people."

The various embassies issued a statement calling it a "cowardly attack" with several people injured in the attack.

Saudi authorities have launched an investigation into the attack. 
&nbsp;

Islamic State(IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Saudi cemetery on Wednesday where European diplomats had gathered for World War I commemoration.

Islamic State(IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Saudi cemetery on Wednesday where European diplomats had gathered for World War I commemoration. Also Read: Blast in Jeddah cemetery in Saudi Arabia with several European diplomats present In a statement on Telegram channel, the terrorist organization said: "IS fighters planted an explosive device in... the cemetery in the city of Jeddah yesterday (Wednesday)." The group said the attack was carried out "in support" of the Prophet Mohammed. After the blast, France cautioned its citizens to be on "maximum vigilance" as Greece, UK and the US assured Saudi authorities they would support an investigation into the attack. The incident comes just a month after a guard at the French consulate in Jeddah was wounded by a knife-wielding Saudi amid anger over satirical cartoons of Prophet Mohammed. Watch: Diplomats of various European countries had gathered for the Armistice Day commemoration ceremony in the Red Sea port city and as the French consul was delivering a speech during the ceremony when the blast took place triggering panic. Also Read: Terrorist cell trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards busted by Saudi Arabia The French foreign ministry said: "The annual ceremony commemorating the end of World War I at the non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah, attended by several consulates, including that of France, was the target of an IED (improvised explosive device) attack this morning, which injured several people." The various embassies issued a statement calling it a "cowardly attack" with several people injured in the attack. Saudi authorities have launched an investigation into the attack.

Islamic State group claims responsibility for Saudi cemetery attack

The Islamic State militants, by several accounts, struck the tiny farming community on a plateau in northern Mozambique during an initiation rite to induct teenage boys into manhood.

Armed with machetes, the attackers beheaded as many as 20 boys and men in the village of 24 de Marco, according to a local media report that was confirmed on Wednesday by ACLED, an American crisis monitoring group that maps the exploding insurgency in Mozambique.

The atrocity in early November was just one episode in a brutal conflict unfolding in Cabo Delgado, a remote, resource-rich province of northern Mozambique. Insurgents who pledge allegiance to the Islamic State have grown dramatically in strength this year — seizing territory, capturing a port, and stepping up brutal attacks on civilians that often involve beheadings.

The deepening humanitarian crisis has displaced at least 355,000 people according to the United Nations — up from 90,000 in January.

The militants’ success is also a sign of a worrisome trend: As the Islamic State’s influence wanes in the Middle East, it is surging in pockets of Africa, with brazen offshoots gaining ground in western, central and, now, southern corners of the continent.

In a statement late Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “shocked” by reports from news agencies that up to 50 people had been beheaded in the district of Muidumbe, where the village of 24 de Marco is located, including women and children, and he called on Mozambique to mount an immediate investigation.

There was no immediate response from the government of President Filipe Nyusi, whose Makonde ethnic group comes from the same region.

“These decapitations, which remind people of Syria and Iraq, scare everyone,” said Eric Morier-Genoud, a professor of African history at Queens University Belfast, who specializes in Mozambique. “It’s a grim situation that is worsening quickly because the militants’ capacity seems to be growing.”

The insurgency, which started in 2017 with a group is known locally as Al-Sunna wa Jama’a, originally drew on a stew of local grievances in Cabo Delgado, a province of vast forests and immense mineral reserves, including graphite and ruby mines, along Mozambique’s border with Tanzania.

In 2019 the group became identified with the Islamic State’s Central Africa province, which also has a presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and this year escalated its campaign with increasingly brutal assaults on civilians and by snatching territory from the government.

Its biggest exploit came in August with the capture of the port of Mocimboa da Praia. Farther north, the group seized territory around Palma, a port that is the main base for international energy companies hoping to exploit Mozambique’s untapped offshore gas reserves, estimated to be the world’s second-largest.

Beheadings are a common feature of Islamic State attacks in Mozambique, said Zenaida Machado, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, who estimated that the majority of over 2,000 civilian victims of the conflict had been decapitated.

“They use machetes,” she said, referring to the militants. “Initially they had specific targets when they attacked a village — state officials, teachers, nurses, local chiefs. Now it’s random.”

Exact details on attacks are hard to establish because Mozambique has barred journalists and human rights researchers from the conflict zone, and most international aid agencies have fled.

After the Muidumbe attacks, Pinnacle News, a local news service, reported that militants had gathered the 20 bodies, along with victims from other sites, at a soccer pitch in Muatide village in a gruesome display intended to strike fear into the local community.

Days after the attack, an Agence France-Presse report cited a local aid worker who described the funerals for 15 boys who were killed in the initiation ceremony.

Of the 355,000 civilians displaced by conflict, about 100,000 have poured into the regional capital, Pemba, which has avoided the fighting. Others have taken shelter in a chain of islands off the coast of Cabo Delgado, an area that until recently was a destination for high-end tourism. Even there, though, they are not safe from attack.

Last month, according to local news reports, Islamic State fighters raided the island of Matemo, which has seen a major cholera outbreak, and attacked or kidnapped displaced people as they searched for food and other provisions.

Other refugees have drowned at sea after their overcrowded boats capsized, including 54 who perished on a craft bound for Pemba on Oct. 29 according to Zitamar, an independent news service that follows the insurgency closely.

And on Aug. 13, at least 40 refugees were killed after government forces opened fire on their boat, apparently mistaking it for an insurgent craft, ACLED reported.

The pandemic has exacerbated the crisis, with Cabo Delgado reporting the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Mozambique. The province’s infrastructure had been hit by tropical cyclone Kenneth in April 2019 — the strongest ever to hit the African continent — destroying key bridges that have been only partially rebuilt.

The beleaguered Mozambique security services have turned to foreigners to help fight back, with mixed results. In 2019 several Russians with the Wagner Group, a private military company linked to the Kremlin, were captured and killed, according to several reports, precipitating Wagner’s exit from Mozambique.

More recently Mozambique has turned to a South Africa-based military company, which introduced armed helicopters to the fight but has struggled to make inroads against militants hiding in the area’s dense forests.

Divisions inside Mozambique’s security services, which human rights groups have frequently accused of abuses against civilians in Cabo Delgado, have further hampered the counterinsurgency effort. Last month, some police officers in Pemba were disciplined after they refused to patrol following complaints the army was paid more.

The exact nature of the relationship between the insurgents and the Islamic State in the Middle East is unclear.

Islamic State publications often carry accounts of operations in Mozambique, as well as photos, and there have been reports of Islamic State trainers traveling to Mozambique.

But experts say it is unclear whether the insurgents in Mozambique are being directed from the outside, or if they are merely exploiting the power of the Islamic State brand in a franchise-style arrangement.

And while the militants claim to be targeting Christians, in practice they make little distinction between their victims, said Sam Ratner, a contributing editor at Zitamar News.

“ISIS propaganda says they burned a Christian village or killed Christian soldiers,” Ratner said. “But on the ground, we’re not seeing a lot of differentiation between Christians and Muslims. They do not appear to be targeting churches in particular, for instance.”

Meanwhile, the insurgency has begun to spill over Mozambique’s borders, alarming its neighbors.

In late October, Mozambique-based Islamic State militants attacked several villages in southern Tanzania, Tanzanian authorities said. Days later, residents of two villages in Mozambique reported rocket fire from inside Tanzania that injured 12 civilians.

The Mozambican government, at odds with Tanzania over its handling of the insurgency, did not publicly comment on the episode.

On Tuesday the president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, condemned the reported “acts of barbarity” in northern Mozambique and offered Zimbabwe’s help with the fight.

“The security of our region is paramount to the protection of our people,” he said.

The Islamic State militants, by several accounts, struck the tiny farming community on a plateau in northern Mozambique during an initiation rite to induct teenage boys into manhood.

The Islamic State militants, by several accounts, struck the tiny farming community on a plateau in northern Mozambique during an initiation rite to induct teenage boys into manhood. Armed with machetes, the attackers beheaded as many as 20 boys and men in the village of 24 de Marco, according to a local media report that was confirmed on Wednesday by ACLED, an American crisis monitoring group that maps the exploding insurgency in Mozambique. The atrocity in early November was just one episode in a brutal conflict unfolding in Cabo Delgado, a remote, resource-rich province of northern Mozambique. Insurgents who pledge allegiance to the Islamic State have grown dramatically in strength this year — seizing territory, capturing a port, and stepping up brutal attacks on civilians that often involve beheadings. The deepening humanitarian crisis has displaced at least 355,000 people according to the United Nations — up from 90,000 in January. The militants’ success is also a sign of a worrisome trend: As the Islamic State’s influence wanes in the Middle East, it is surging in pockets of Africa, with brazen offshoots gaining ground in western, central and, now, southern corners of the continent. In a statement late Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “shocked” by reports from news agencies that up to 50 people had been beheaded in the district of Muidumbe, where the village of 24 de Marco is located, including women and children, and he called on Mozambique to mount an immediate investigation. There was no immediate response from the government of President Filipe Nyusi, whose Makonde ethnic group comes from the same region. “These decapitations, which remind people of Syria and Iraq, scare everyone,” said Eric Morier-Genoud, a professor of African history at Queens University Belfast, who specializes in Mozambique. “It’s a grim situation that is worsening quickly because the militants’ capacity seems to be growing.” The insurgency, which started in 2017 with a group is known locally as Al-Sunna wa Jama’a, originally drew on a stew of local grievances in Cabo Delgado, a province of vast forests and immense mineral reserves, including graphite and ruby mines, along Mozambique’s border with Tanzania. In 2019 the group became identified with the Islamic State’s Central Africa province, which also has a presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and this year escalated its campaign with increasingly brutal assaults on civilians and by snatching territory from the government. Its biggest exploit came in August with the capture of the port of Mocimboa da Praia. Farther north, the group seized territory around Palma, a port that is the main base for international energy companies hoping to exploit Mozambique’s untapped offshore gas reserves, estimated to be the world’s second-largest. Beheadings are a common feature of Islamic State attacks in Mozambique, said Zenaida Machado, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, who estimated that the majority of over 2,000 civilian victims of the conflict had been decapitated. “They use machetes,” she said, referring to the militants. “Initially they had specific targets when they attacked a village — state officials, teachers, nurses, local chiefs. Now it’s random.” Exact details on attacks are hard to establish because Mozambique has barred journalists and human rights researchers from the conflict zone, and most international aid agencies have fled. After the Muidumbe attacks, Pinnacle News, a local news service, reported that militants had gathered the 20 bodies, along with victims from other sites, at a soccer pitch in Muatide village in a gruesome display intended to strike fear into the local community. Days after the attack, an Agence France-Presse report cited a local aid worker who described the funerals for 15 boys who were killed in the initiation ceremony. Of the 355,000 civilians displaced by conflict, about 100,000 have poured into the regional capital, Pemba, which has avoided the fighting. Others have taken shelter in a chain of islands off the coast of Cabo Delgado, an area that until recently was a destination for high-end tourism. Even there, though, they are not safe from attack. Last month, according to local news reports, Islamic State fighters raided the island of Matemo, which has seen a major cholera outbreak, and attacked or kidnapped displaced people as they searched for food and other provisions. Other refugees have drowned at sea after their overcrowded boats capsized, including 54 who perished on a craft bound for Pemba on Oct. 29 according to Zitamar, an independent news service that follows the insurgency closely. And on Aug. 13, at least 40 refugees were killed after government forces opened fire on their boat, apparently mistaking it for an insurgent craft, ACLED reported. The pandemic has exacerbated the crisis, with Cabo Delgado reporting the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Mozambique. The province’s infrastructure had been hit by tropical cyclone Kenneth in April 2019 — the strongest ever to hit the African continent — destroying key bridges that have been only partially rebuilt. The beleaguered Mozambique security services have turned to foreigners to help fight back, with mixed results. In 2019 several Russians with the Wagner Group, a private military company linked to the Kremlin, were captured and killed, according to several reports, precipitating Wagner’s exit from Mozambique. More recently Mozambique has turned to a South Africa-based military company, which introduced armed helicopters to the fight but has struggled to make inroads against militants hiding in the area’s dense forests. Divisions inside Mozambique’s security services, which human rights groups have frequently accused of abuses against civilians in Cabo Delgado, have further hampered the counterinsurgency effort. Last month, some police officers in Pemba were disciplined after they refused to patrol following complaints the army was paid more. The exact nature of the relationship between the insurgents and the Islamic State in the Middle East is unclear. Islamic State publications often carry accounts of operations in Mozambique, as well as photos, and there have been reports of Islamic State trainers traveling to Mozambique. But experts say it is unclear whether the insurgents in Mozambique are being directed from the outside, or if they are merely exploiting the power of the Islamic State brand in a franchise-style arrangement. And while the militants claim to be targeting Christians, in practice they make little distinction between their victims, said Sam Ratner, a contributing editor at Zitamar News. “ISIS propaganda says they burned a Christian village or killed Christian soldiers,” Ratner said. “But on the ground, we’re not seeing a lot of differentiation between Christians and Muslims. They do not appear to be targeting churches in particular, for instance.” Meanwhile, the insurgency has begun to spill over Mozambique’s borders, alarming its neighbors. In late October, Mozambique-based Islamic State militants attacked several villages in southern Tanzania, Tanzanian authorities said. Days later, residents of two villages in Mozambique reported rocket fire from inside Tanzania that injured 12 civilians. The Mozambican government, at odds with Tanzania over its handling of the insurgency, did not publicly comment on the episode. On Tuesday the president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, condemned the reported “acts of barbarity” in northern Mozambique and offered Zimbabwe’s help with the fight. “The security of our region is paramount to the protection of our people,” he said.

With village beheadings, Islamic State intensifies attacks in Mozambique

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Tuesday for a deadly shooting rampage in Vienna the day before, the group said in a statement on its Telegram channels.

The statement identified "a soldier of the caliphate" as being responsible for the assault on Monday night in the Austrian capital that left four people dead.

In a separate statement, accompanied by a photograph of the armed assailant, IS propaganda arm Amaq cited "a gun attack yesterday (Monday) by an Islamic State fighter in the city of Vienna".

(More details awaited)

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Tuesday for a deadly shooting rampage in Vienna the day before, the group said in a statement on its Telegram channels.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Tuesday for a deadly shooting rampage in Vienna the day before, the group said in a statement on its Telegram channels. The statement identified "a soldier of the caliphate" as being responsible for the assault on Monday night in the Austrian capital that left four people dead. In a separate statement, accompanied by a photograph of the armed assailant, IS propaganda arm Amaq cited "a gun attack yesterday (Monday) by an Islamic State fighter in the city of Vienna". (More details awaited)

Islamic State group claims responsibility for Vienna attack

In a big revelation, Austria's interior minister said on Wednesday that Austria's domestic intelligence service had received warning that the Islamic State sympathiser wanted to procure ammunition. The man later went on to carry out a deadly shooting in Vienna. Austria's interior minister said that the Austrian domestic intelligence had received the warning from neighbouring Slovakia.

"In the last few hours information has come to light that some time prior to the terror attack, Slovakian intelligence informed (Austria's domestic intelligence service) the BVT about the attacker. The information was that he wanted to get ammunition," Karl Nehammer told a press conference.

Four people were killed when Kujtim Fejzulai, described as a 20-year-old IS sympathiser who had spent time in prison, opened fire with a Kalashnikov in a busy area of the Austrian capital the day before the country went into a new coronavirus lockdown.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/austria-thanks-india-for-standing-in-difficult-times-says-will-defend-our-open-societies-340064">Austria thanks India for standing in difficult times; says will defend our open societies</a>

Police shot the gunman dead on Monday and later swooped on 18 different addresses and made 14 arrests as they looked for possible accomplices and sought to determine if he had acted alone.&nbsp;

The Vienna terror attack has been claimed by Islamic State (IS). It said on Tuesday that "soldier of the caliphate" was responsible for the carnage, according to its propaganda agency. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for a European response to "political Islam".

(With AFP inputs)

In a big revelation, Austria's interior minister said on Wednesday that Austria's domestic intelligence service had received warning that the Islamic State sympathiser wanted to procure ammunition.

In a big revelation, Austria's interior minister said on Wednesday that Austria's domestic intelligence service had received warning that the Islamic State sympathiser wanted to procure ammunition. The man later went on to carry out a deadly shooting in Vienna. Austria's interior minister said that the Austrian domestic intelligence had received the warning from neighbouring Slovakia. "In the last few hours information has come to light that some time prior to the terror attack, Slovakian intelligence informed (Austria's domestic intelligence service) the BVT about the attacker. The information was that he wanted to get ammunition," Karl Nehammer told a press conference. Four people were killed when Kujtim Fejzulai, described as a 20-year-old IS sympathiser who had spent time in prison, opened fire with a Kalashnikov in a busy area of the Austrian capital the day before the country went into a new coronavirus lockdown. Also Read | Austria thanks India for standing in difficult times; says will defend our open societies Police shot the gunman dead on Monday and later swooped on 18 different addresses and made 14 arrests as they looked for possible accomplices and sought to determine if he had acted alone. The Vienna terror attack has been claimed by Islamic State (IS). It said on Tuesday that "soldier of the caliphate" was responsible for the carnage, according to its propaganda agency. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for a European response to "political Islam". (With AFP inputs)

Vienna terror attack: Austria was warned about the attacker, says minister

Terrorist organization Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on Kabul University on Monday that killed 22 people including students.

Islamic State said two of its fighters carried out the brazen daylight attack.

Through a message on the messaging app Telegram, the group claimed to have “killed and injured 80 Afghan judges, investigators and security personnel” who gathered on completion of a training programme.

At least 22 people were killed when attackers stormed one of Afghanistan's main universities on Monday, detonating a suicide bomb and spraying classrooms with bullets in a brazen hours-long assault claimed by Islamic State group.

The attack on Kabul University, which came as violence surges across Afghanistan, marked the second time in less than two weeks that an educational institution was targeted in the capital by IS extremists.

Survivors described horrific scenes following the incident that unfolded around 11:00 am (0530 GMT) when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside the campus.

Two gunmen then started shooting, officials said, sending hundreds of students fleeing and scrambling over perimeter walls.

Fraidoon Ahmadi, a 23-year-old student, told AFP he was in class when gunfire broke out at the university.

"We were very scared and we thought it could be the last day of our lives... boys and girls were shouting, praying and crying for help," Ahmadi said.

He said he and other students were besieged for more than two hours before being rescued.&nbsp;

Distressing images posted online showed what appeared to be the bodies of slain students lying by desks and chairs.

"They opened fire ... all my classmates were lying in blood, either dead or wounded," one student told a local television channel, adding that he escaped by climbing out a window.

(With inputs from agencies)

Terrorist organization Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on Kabul University on Monday that killed 22 people including students. Islamic State said two of its fighters carried out the brazen daylight attack.

Terrorist organization Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on Kabul University on Monday that killed 22 people including students. Islamic State said two of its fighters carried out the brazen daylight attack. Through a message on the messaging app Telegram, the group claimed to have “killed and injured 80 Afghan judges, investigators and security personnel” who gathered on completion of a training programme. At least 22 people were killed when attackers stormed one of Afghanistan's main universities on Monday, detonating a suicide bomb and spraying classrooms with bullets in a brazen hours-long assault claimed by Islamic State group. The attack on Kabul University, which came as violence surges across Afghanistan, marked the second time in less than two weeks that an educational institution was targeted in the capital by IS extremists. Survivors described horrific scenes following the incident that unfolded around 11:00 am (0530 GMT) when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside the campus. Two gunmen then started shooting, officials said, sending hundreds of students fleeing and scrambling over perimeter walls. Fraidoon Ahmadi, a 23-year-old student, told AFP he was in class when gunfire broke out at the university. "We were very scared and we thought it could be the last day of our lives... boys and girls were shouting, praying and crying for help," Ahmadi said. He said he and other students were besieged for more than two hours before being rescued. Distressing images posted online showed what appeared to be the bodies of slain students lying by desks and chairs. "They opened fire ... all my classmates were lying in blood, either dead or wounded," one student told a local television channel, adding that he escaped by climbing out a window. (With inputs from agencies)

Islamic State claims responsibility for Kabul University attack

Mourning women beat their chest and wept at a Yazidi mass-grave site on Saturday (October 24), as Iraqi officials began the exhumation process of dozens of women believed to have been killed by Islamic State militants in 2014.

Iraq prepares to exhume bodies of Yazidi victims of Islamic State in Sinjar

Mosul's football club in northern Iraq lies in ruins. The region was destroyed under ISIS occupation and the footballers have nowhere to showcase their talent. Watch report.

Mosul stadium damaged under ISIS rule of city: Footballers in Mosul have no stadium to train in

Two terrorists of Islamic State El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, and Alexanda Kotey, 36 pleaded not guilty in a US court to charges of conspiring to murder four American hostages.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-islamic-state-terrorists-known-as-beatles-to-appear-in-us-court-333288">Also Read:&nbsp;Two Islamic State terrorists known as 'Beatles' to appear in US court</a>

Elsheikh and Kotey dubbed the "Beatles" due to their British accent were brought in from Iraq to face charges in US for the murder of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and relief workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.

Judge TS Ellis said, "time is required in order to achieve the ends of justice in this case", even though he asked for a trial to be held "as soon as possible".

Kotey and Elsheikh were stripped of their UK citizenship as the US assured the British government that they won't be given the death penalty. The former British nationals have been in US custody since October last year after being captured in January 2018 by Syrian Kurdish forces.

The two men have been charged with hostage-taking, conspiracy to commit murder among other crimes as they face a maximum sentence of life in prison. The duo allegedly abducted American, European and Japanese hostages in Syria from 2012 to 2015 and allegedly tortured and killed their victims, including by beheading.

According to US authorities, both men travelled to Syria in 2012 after being radicalized in Britain.

As they were brought in to the US, the families of Kayla Mueller, Peter Kassig, Steven Sotloff and James Foley welcomed their transfer to face justice in the country.

"James, Peter, Kayla and Steven were kidnapped, tortured, beaten, starved, and murdered by members of the Islamic State in Syria," the families said in a joint statement. "Now our families can pursue accountability for these crimes against our children in a US court," the statement added.

Two terrorists of Islamic State El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, and Alexanda Kotey, 36 pleaded not guilty in a US court to charges of conspiring to murder four American hostages.

Two terrorists of Islamic State El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, and Alexanda Kotey, 36 pleaded not guilty in a US court to charges of conspiring to murder four American hostages. Also Read: Two Islamic State terrorists known as 'Beatles' to appear in US court Elsheikh and Kotey dubbed the "Beatles" due to their British accent were brought in from Iraq to face charges in US for the murder of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and relief workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. Judge TS Ellis said, "time is required in order to achieve the ends of justice in this case", even though he asked for a trial to be held "as soon as possible". Kotey and Elsheikh were stripped of their UK citizenship as the US assured the British government that they won't be given the death penalty. The former British nationals have been in US custody since October last year after being captured in January 2018 by Syrian Kurdish forces. The two men have been charged with hostage-taking, conspiracy to commit murder among other crimes as they face a maximum sentence of life in prison. The duo allegedly abducted American, European and Japanese hostages in Syria from 2012 to 2015 and allegedly tortured and killed their victims, including by beheading. According to US authorities, both men travelled to Syria in 2012 after being radicalized in Britain. As they were brought in to the US, the families of Kayla Mueller, Peter Kassig, Steven Sotloff and James Foley welcomed their transfer to face justice in the country. "James, Peter, Kayla and Steven were kidnapped, tortured, beaten, starved, and murdered by members of the Islamic State in Syria," the families said in a joint statement. "Now our families can pursue accountability for these crimes against our children in a US court," the statement added.

Islamic State 'Beatles' terrorists plead not guilty in US court

Two alleged Islamic State(IS) terrorists known as the "Beatles" will face trial in the US over their alleged involvement in beheadings of American hostages in Syria, the Trump administration announced today.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-isis-terrorists-held-in-pakistans-punjab-province-330222">Also Read:&nbsp;Two ISIS terrorists held in Pakistan's Punjab province</a>

"These charges are the product of many years of hard work in pursuit of justice for our citizens slain by ISIS. Although we cannot bring them back, we can and will seek justice for them, their families, and for all Americans," Attorney General William P. Barr said.

The two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-special-forces-killed-16-taliban-is-terrorists-in-operations-256867">IS</a> terrorists - Alexanda Kotey,36, and El Shafee Elsheikh,32, - were UK citizens but their citizenship was withdrawn by the British government. Kotey and Elsheikh have allegedly killed US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig.

"Our message to other terrorists around the world is this -— if you harm Americans, you will face American arms on the battlefield or American law in our courtrooms," Attorney General Bill Barr said, adding,"either way, you will be pursued to the ends of the earth until justice is done."

FBI Director Christopher Wray said: "Their goal is to motivate people to launch attacks against Western targets wherever they are, using any means available."&nbsp;

Kotey and Elsheikh are expected to be produced in &nbsp;in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday and face charges of life in prison. The duo had got their name the "Beatles" due to their British accent.

They allegdly tortured and killed civilians, including by beheading, and released propoganda videos for Islamic State.

Two alleged Islamic State(IS) terrorists known as the "Beatles" will face trial in the US over their alleged involvement in beheadings of American hostages in Syria, the Trump administration announced today.

Two alleged Islamic State(IS) terrorists known as the "Beatles" will face trial in the US over their alleged involvement in beheadings of American hostages in Syria, the Trump administration announced today. Also Read: Two ISIS terrorists held in Pakistan's Punjab province "These charges are the product of many years of hard work in pursuit of justice for our citizens slain by ISIS. Although we cannot bring them back, we can and will seek justice for them, their families, and for all Americans," Attorney General William P. Barr said. The two IS terrorists - Alexanda Kotey,36, and El Shafee Elsheikh,32, - were UK citizens but their citizenship was withdrawn by the British government. Kotey and Elsheikh have allegedly killed US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig. "Our message to other terrorists around the world is this -— if you harm Americans, you will face American arms on the battlefield or American law in our courtrooms," Attorney General Bill Barr said, adding,"either way, you will be pursued to the ends of the earth until justice is done." FBI Director Christopher Wray said: "Their goal is to motivate people to launch attacks against Western targets wherever they are, using any means available." Kotey and Elsheikh are expected to be produced in in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday and face charges of life in prison. The duo had got their name the "Beatles" due to their British accent. They allegdly tortured and killed civilians, including by beheading, and released propoganda videos for Islamic State.

Two Islamic State terrorists known as 'Beatles' to appear in US court

Turkish authorities on Friday issued arrest warrants for 82 people, including a mayor, over pro-Kurdish protests six years ago, officials and local media said.

The warrants relate to October 2014 protests in Turkey sparked by the seizure by Islamic State (IS) jihadists of the mainly Kurdish Syrian town of Kobane.

Protesters flooded streets in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast in early October 2014, accusing the Turkish army of standing by as Islamic State besieged Kobani, just across the Syrian border.

The crimes committed during the protests included murder, attempted murder, theft, damaging property, looting, burning the Turkish flag and injuring 326 security officials and 435 citizens.

There was also a warrant for the mayor of the eastern city of Kars, Ayhan Bilgen, Hurriyet daily reported.

Bilgen won the city in 2019 local elections representing the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which is Turkey's second-largest opposition group in the parliament.

Of a total of 65 HDP mayors returned in those elections, 47 have now been replaced by unelected officials, with some detained on terror charges, the party said last month.

Ankara accuses the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group of inciting the demonstrations. It also accuses the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) of links to the PKK and supporting the protests. The HDP, the third largest party in parliament, denies this.

In a statement on Friday, prosecutors in Ankara said arrest warrants were issued over "several calls made to invite the public to the streets and carry out terror acts", adding suspects would be sought in seven provinces.

"The Ankara Prosecutor's Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau has launched an investigation on the PKK terrorist organisation and its so-called executives, as well as certain political party executives and members... and, at the current stage, ordered the detention of 82 suspects," the prosecutor's office said.

Broadcaster NTV and other media said the suspects included HDP members including the mayor of the northeastern Kars province Ayhan Bilgen, former lawmaker Sirri Sureyya Onder, and some party executives, and that some had already been detained.

The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union, has fought against the state in the southeast since 1984. A ceasefire collapsed in 2015.

Turkish authorities on Friday issued arrest warrants for 82 people, including a mayor, over pro-Kurdish protests six years ago, officials and local media said. The warrants relate to October 2014 protests in Turkey sparked by the seizure by Islamic State (IS) jihadists of the mainly Kurdish Syrian town of Kobane.

Turkish authorities on Friday issued arrest warrants for 82 people, including a mayor, over pro-Kurdish protests six years ago, officials and local media said. The warrants relate to October 2014 protests in Turkey sparked by the seizure by Islamic State (IS) jihadists of the mainly Kurdish Syrian town of Kobane. Protesters flooded streets in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast in early October 2014, accusing the Turkish army of standing by as Islamic State besieged Kobani, just across the Syrian border. The crimes committed during the protests included murder, attempted murder, theft, damaging property, looting, burning the Turkish flag and injuring 326 security officials and 435 citizens. There was also a warrant for the mayor of the eastern city of Kars, Ayhan Bilgen, Hurriyet daily reported. Bilgen won the city in 2019 local elections representing the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which is Turkey's second-largest opposition group in the parliament. Of a total of 65 HDP mayors returned in those elections, 47 have now been replaced by unelected officials, with some detained on terror charges, the party said last month. Ankara accuses the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group of inciting the demonstrations. It also accuses the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) of links to the PKK and supporting the protests. The HDP, the third largest party in parliament, denies this. In a statement on Friday, prosecutors in Ankara said arrest warrants were issued over "several calls made to invite the public to the streets and carry out terror acts", adding suspects would be sought in seven provinces. "The Ankara Prosecutor's Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau has launched an investigation on the PKK terrorist organisation and its so-called executives, as well as certain political party executives and members... and, at the current stage, ordered the detention of 82 suspects," the prosecutor's office said. Broadcaster NTV and other media said the suspects included HDP members including the mayor of the northeastern Kars province Ayhan Bilgen, former lawmaker Sirri Sureyya Onder, and some party executives, and that some had already been detained. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union, has fought against the state in the southeast since 1984. A ceasefire collapsed in 2015.

Turkey orders arrest of 82 including mayor over pro-Kurdish protest

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against five people for their alleged association with the banned Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) case, an affiliate of ISIS, officials said.

Those charge-sheeted include Jahanzaib Sami of Delhi; Hina Bashir, a native of Kashmir; Abdullah Basith, a resident of Hyderabad; and Sadiya Anwar Shaikh and Nabeel Siddick Khatri, both residents of Pune.

The charge sheet was filed in a court in Delhi.

The accused have been charge-sheeted for their affiliation with the proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS/ISKP and for conspiring to create disaffection against the government, promoting enmity among different religious communities and for committing subversive activities.

They have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against five people for their alleged association with the banned Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) case, an affiliate of ISIS, officials said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against five people for their alleged association with the banned Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) case, an affiliate of ISIS, officials said. Those charge-sheeted include Jahanzaib Sami of Delhi; Hina Bashir, a native of Kashmir; Abdullah Basith, a resident of Hyderabad; and Sadiya Anwar Shaikh and Nabeel Siddick Khatri, both residents of Pune. The charge sheet was filed in a court in Delhi. The accused have been charge-sheeted for their affiliation with the proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS/ISKP and for conspiring to create disaffection against the government, promoting enmity among different religious communities and for committing subversive activities. They have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

NIA files charge sheet against five for alleged links with an ISIS affiliate

The Philippines army said that two women suicide bombers who carried out the attacks on Monday were widows of militants working for the Abu Sayyaf group linked to Islamic State(IS).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twin-explosions-kill-at-least-ten-people-wound-soldiers-in-philippines-322696">Also Read:&nbsp;Twin explosions in Philippines; several dead</a>

The blast which occurred in the southern part of the country killed at last 14 people including soldiers and wounded several others in Jolo island in Sulu province.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, however, Army chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana identified the woman bombers as Nanah and Inda Nay as the Army chief called for martial law to be imposed in Sulu.

The blast killed eight members of the security forces including six civilians with at least 75 wounded in the attack. General Sobejana said Nanah was the wife of Norman Lasuca and Inda Nay was the wife of Talha Jumsah who was a suicide bomber.

Jumsah was killed by security forces on Jolo in November last year.

Reports say authorities are checking whether Nanah was Indonesian. President Rodrigo Duterte has created a special infantry division to destroy Abu Sayyaf as the terror organization has carried out deadly attacks in the country.

The Philippines army said that two women suicide bombers who carried out the attacks on Monday were widows of militants working for the Abu Sayyaf group linked to Islamic State(IS).

The Philippines army said that two women suicide bombers who carried out the attacks on Monday were widows of militants working for the Abu Sayyaf group linked to Islamic State(IS). Also Read: Twin explosions in Philippines; several dead The blast which occurred in the southern part of the country killed at last 14 people including soldiers and wounded several others in Jolo island in Sulu province. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, however, Army chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana identified the woman bombers as Nanah and Inda Nay as the Army chief called for martial law to be imposed in Sulu. The blast killed eight members of the security forces including six civilians with at least 75 wounded in the attack. General Sobejana said Nanah was the wife of Norman Lasuca and Inda Nay was the wife of Talha Jumsah who was a suicide bomber. Jumsah was killed by security forces on Jolo in November last year. Reports say authorities are checking whether Nanah was Indonesian. President Rodrigo Duterte has created a special infantry division to destroy Abu Sayyaf as the terror organization has carried out deadly attacks in the country.

Women suicide bombers were widows of militants linked to IS: Philippine army chief

In a major setback to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the US&nbsp;is probing Pakistanis who were fighting for the Islamic State in Syria.

At least 29 Pakistanis have been caught by the US-backed Kurdish-Syrian democratic forces, and nine of them are women. They are all being interrogated by the US.

The interrogations will focus on&nbsp;who sent them to fight for the Islamic State, their previous affiliations&nbsp;with terror groups in Pakistan and if they have links with Pakistan's secret agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/flash-floods-ravage-region-around-kabul-at-least-46-dead-in-afghanistan-323178">Also read:&nbsp;Flash floods ravage region around Kabul, at least 46 dead in Afghanistan</a>

For Prime Minister Imran Khan, this is another embarrassment and&nbsp;it has come at the worst possible time. In October, the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) is set to review Pakistan's record.

The FATF is a terror financing watchdog, and Pakistan has been on its grey list. It should be in the black list, but countries such as China, Turkey and Malaysia save Pakistan from that, so it remains in the grey list.

Pakistan wants to step out of this grey list but&nbsp;revelations like these&nbsp;will make sure it stays where it is.

Meanwhile, the people of Pakistan are worried as the floods are destroying their houses and resources. Heavy rains have killed at least 90 people and damaged 1,000 homes across the country. The city of Karachi is living under water. The locals are frustratedwith the government as this happens&nbsp;every monsoon season.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/heavy-monsoon-rains-trigger-flash-floods-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan-323241">Have a look:&nbsp;Heavy monsoon rains trigger flash floods in Afghanistan and Pakistan</a>

Three days of monsoon rains have left Pakistan flooded with more than 90 fatalities, and thousands of homes destroyed.

Nearly 23 people have been declared dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,&nbsp;15 are dead in Baluchistan, eight have died&nbsp;in Pakistan's Punjab, and&nbsp;13 reported dead elsewhere in Pakistan, including three in Pak-occupied Kashmir.

The province of Sindh is the worst affected where 31 have been declared dead.

31 dead --- in the annual monsoon deluge.

"You can see there is havoc. People are so annoyed. No vehicle can pass through the streets as all ways are inundated. We appeal to the government that must do something and clean storm nullahs (storm water drains) so the people would take a breath of relief," a local said.

At least eight people have died in Karachi alone, mostly due to electrocution and drowning.

To top this, now, sewage water is flooding homes in low-lying areas. Earlier this month, troops helped pump out rainwater, and this time disaster relief is yet to arrive.

Locals have alleged that the residents have had to save their homes, resources and their families on their own with no help from the government.

Every year, many cities 'go under' after heavy rains due to poor city planning. In the case of Karachi, it is due to outdated sewage systems.

In a major setback to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the US is probing Pakistanis who were fighting for the Islamic State in Syria. At least 29 Pakistanis have been caught by the US-backed Kurdish-Syrian democratic forces, and nine of them are women.

In a major setback to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the US is probing Pakistanis who were fighting for the Islamic State in Syria. At least 29 Pakistanis have been caught by the US-backed Kurdish-Syrian democratic forces, and nine of them are women. They are all being interrogated by the US. The interrogations will focus on who sent them to fight for the Islamic State, their previous affiliations with terror groups in Pakistan and if they have links with Pakistan's secret agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Also read: Flash floods ravage region around Kabul, at least 46 dead in Afghanistan For Prime Minister Imran Khan, this is another embarrassment and it has come at the worst possible time. In October, the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) is set to review Pakistan's record. The FATF is a terror financing watchdog, and Pakistan has been on its grey list. It should be in the black list, but countries such as China, Turkey and Malaysia save Pakistan from that, so it remains in the grey list. Pakistan wants to step out of this grey list but revelations like these will make sure it stays where it is. Meanwhile, the people of Pakistan are worried as the floods are destroying their houses and resources. Heavy rains have killed at least 90 people and damaged 1,000 homes across the country. The city of Karachi is living under water. The locals are frustratedwith the government as this happens every monsoon season. Have a look: Heavy monsoon rains trigger flash floods in Afghanistan and Pakistan Three days of monsoon rains have left Pakistan flooded with more than 90 fatalities, and thousands of homes destroyed. Nearly 23 people have been declared dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 15 are dead in Baluchistan, eight have died in Pakistan's Punjab, and 13 reported dead elsewhere in Pakistan, including three in Pak-occupied Kashmir. The province of Sindh is the worst affected where 31 have been declared dead. 31 dead --- in the annual monsoon deluge. "You can see there is havoc. People are so annoyed. No vehicle can pass through the streets as all ways are inundated. We appeal to the government that must do something and clean storm nullahs (storm water drains) so the people would take a breath of relief," a local said. At least eight people have died in Karachi alone, mostly due to electrocution and drowning. To top this, now, sewage water is flooding homes in low-lying areas. Earlier this month, troops helped pump out rainwater, and this time disaster relief is yet to arrive. Locals have alleged that the residents have had to save their homes, resources and their families on their own with no help from the government. Every year, many cities 'go under' after heavy rains due to poor city planning. In the case of Karachi, it is due to outdated sewage systems.

Monsoon floods, Pakistani terrorists in Syria: Troubles for Imran Khan increase

The United States has started investigating Pakistani's role in the Islamic State movement in Syria after the&nbsp;Kurd Syrian Democratic Forces released a list of 29 names of Paksitanis are in custody.

This can, as per experts, complicate things for the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who is already stuck in the damage caused by his unsuccessful attempt to get two important FATF-linked legislations enacted

The list includes names of four Pakistanis who claim to have citizenship of countries such as Turkey and Sudan.&nbsp;Nine out of the 29 terrorists are women fighters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-urges-taliban-leaders-to-start-peace-talks-323092">Also read:&nbsp;Pakistan urges Taliban leaders to start peace talks</a>

The terrorists are being interrogated about their mission and their past connections with various terrorist groups.&nbsp;“The American security forces are currently interrogating these Pakistani nationals including who sent them to fight for IS in Syria and their past affiliations with terrorist groups like the Al Qaida or any other pan-Islamic group based in Pakistan. As the Pakistani deep state is involved with the so-called Islamic State of Khorasan Province in Afghanistan, the interrogation will also reveal its role if any,” said a counter-terror official in know of the list.

The terrorists were in Syria to fight for the so-called Islamic State, which is an ultra-onservative radical Sunni movement in Iraq and Syria, and has increased in the past decade.

Reports claim the terrorists are freelancers as the Islamic State does not hold any territory&nbsp;in Iraq or Syria.

The United States has started investigating Pakistani's role in the Islamic State movement in Syria after the Kurd Syrian Democratic Forces released a list of 29 names of Paksitanis are in custody.

The United States has started investigating Pakistani's role in the Islamic State movement in Syria after the Kurd Syrian Democratic Forces released a list of 29 names of Paksitanis are in custody. This can, as per experts, complicate things for the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who is already stuck in the damage caused by his unsuccessful attempt to get two important FATF-linked legislations enacted The list includes names of four Pakistanis who claim to have citizenship of countries such as Turkey and Sudan. Nine out of the 29 terrorists are women fighters. Also read: Pakistan urges Taliban leaders to start peace talks The terrorists are being interrogated about their mission and their past connections with various terrorist groups. “The American security forces are currently interrogating these Pakistani nationals including who sent them to fight for IS in Syria and their past affiliations with terrorist groups like the Al Qaida or any other pan-Islamic group based in Pakistan. As the Pakistani deep state is involved with the so-called Islamic State of Khorasan Province in Afghanistan, the interrogation will also reveal its role if any,” said a counter-terror official in know of the list. The terrorists were in Syria to fight for the so-called Islamic State, which is an ultra-onservative radical Sunni movement in Iraq and Syria, and has increased in the past decade. Reports claim the terrorists are freelancers as the Islamic State does not hold any territory in Iraq or Syria.

US starts investigating 9 Pakistani terrorists held in Syria

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested doctor for his alleged links with the banned terrorist outfit Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and offshoot of ISIS. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

28-year-old Abdur Rahman who is a doctor by profession was arrested from his residence in Basavangudi in Bengaluru. The NIA has said that he is in contact with the Islamic State. He was working as an Ophthalmologist at M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore.

During interrogation, Rahman confessed that he was conspiring with Jahanzaib Sami and other Syria-based ISIS operatives on secure messaging platforms to further ISIS activities, NIA said in a statement.

Significantly, Rahman had visited an ISIS medical camp in Syria in early 2014 for treatment of ISIS terrorists and stayed with Islamic State operatives for 10 days and returned to India, the NIA said.

"Rahman was in the process of developing a medical application for helping the injured ISIS cadres in the conflict-zones and a weaponry-related application for the benefit of ISIS fighters," the agency said.

After arresting Rahman, NIA carried out searches at 3 premises belonging to him in Bengaluru with the assistance of Karnataka Police and seized digital devices, mobile phone, laptop containing incriminating material.

They were also found to be in touch with Abdullah Basith, who was already lodged in Tihar jail in another NIA case (ISIS Abu Dabhi Module), the agency said, During the further investigation in the case, NIA arrested two more accused — Sadiya Anwar Sheikh and Nabeel Siddick Khatri — both residents of Pune, for being part of the conspiracy to "further the activities of ISIS/ISKP in India" and to "carry out subversive activities in the garb of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests".

The arrested accused will be produced before the NIA Special Court at New Delhi and NIA remand will be sought for his custodial interrogation, the agency said. Further investigation in the case is continued, NIA said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested doctor for his alleged links with the banned terrorist outfit Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and offshoot of ISIS.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested doctor for his alleged links with the banned terrorist outfit Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and offshoot of ISIS. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). 28-year-old Abdur Rahman who is a doctor by profession was arrested from his residence in Basavangudi in Bengaluru. The NIA has said that he is in contact with the Islamic State. He was working as an Ophthalmologist at M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore. During interrogation, Rahman confessed that he was conspiring with Jahanzaib Sami and other Syria-based ISIS operatives on secure messaging platforms to further ISIS activities, NIA said in a statement. Significantly, Rahman had visited an ISIS medical camp in Syria in early 2014 for treatment of ISIS terrorists and stayed with Islamic State operatives for 10 days and returned to India, the NIA said. "Rahman was in the process of developing a medical application for helping the injured ISIS cadres in the conflict-zones and a weaponry-related application for the benefit of ISIS fighters," the agency said. After arresting Rahman, NIA carried out searches at 3 premises belonging to him in Bengaluru with the assistance of Karnataka Police and seized digital devices, mobile phone, laptop containing incriminating material. They were also found to be in touch with Abdullah Basith, who was already lodged in Tihar jail in another NIA case (ISIS Abu Dabhi Module), the agency said, During the further investigation in the case, NIA arrested two more accused — Sadiya Anwar Sheikh and Nabeel Siddick Khatri — both residents of Pune, for being part of the conspiracy to "further the activities of ISIS/ISKP in India" and to "carry out subversive activities in the garb of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests". The arrested accused will be produced before the NIA Special Court at New Delhi and NIA remand will be sought for his custodial interrogation, the agency said. Further investigation in the case is continued, NIA said. (With inputs from agencies)

Bengaluru doctor making apps for ISIS arrested by NIA

Afghan authorities were searching Tuesday for about 270 inmates, most of them Islamic State fighters, who remained on the loose after escaping during a deadly prison raid.

At least 29 people were killed when Islamic State (IS) gunmen attacked the facility in Jalalabad on Sunday, with fierce fighting lasting until Monday afternoon.

More than 1,300 inmates tried to escape, a senior Afghan security official said but most were either swiftly re-arrested or surrendered when surrounded by security forces.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-grand-assembly-to-decide-fate-of-taliban-prisoners-on-friday-318105" hreflang="en">Afghan grand assembly to decide fate of Taliban prisoners on Friday</a>

But some 270 prisoners are "still on the loose", the official said.

"Most of those who escaped are from ISKP," he said, referring to IS's Afghan branch, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province.

They included militants responsible for several bloody attacks, a second security official told AFP.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-24-dead-in-mass-jailbreak-in-afghanistan-scores-of-prisoners-flee-317759" hreflang="en">At least 24 dead in mass jailbreak in Afghanistan, scores of prisoners flee</a>

Nangarhar provincial governor's spokesman Attaullah Khogyani confirmed many prisoners were still missing, but couldn't say how many were IS members.

Officials also said that security forces had shot dead on Tuesday another group of IS fighters who had launched a mortar attack targeting Jalalabad airport from a neighbourhood in the city around the same time when the prison raid commenced.

Several mortar shells and other ammunition seized from a house in the neighbourhood were shown to journalists.

The brazen prison raid came a day after&nbsp;Afghanistan's intelligence agency announced the killing of a top IS commander near Jalalabad.

Nangarhar province, where IS got its first foothold in&nbsp;Afghanistan, has seen repeated attacks by the group, including a suicide bomb that killed 32 mourners at a funeral in May.

Calm shattered

The attacks have continued even though officials last year claimed IS had been defeated in Nangarhar.

"A large number of their leadership was arrested or killed... so it (the prison raid) was some sort of revenge to free some of their comrades," a senior Afghan security official said.

Some local officials and analysts, however, have cautioned that elements of group remained.

"They (IS) want to challenge the monopoly of the Taliban over militancy or anti-state violence in the country," said Abdul Sayed, independent researcher on jihadism in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;and Pakistan.

He said the Taliban, Kabul and Washington miscalculated about IS's defeat in&nbsp;Afghanistan.

"They (IS) now seem to have changed their strategies to (launch) high profile terrorist attacks in Nanagarhar to Kabul to provide proof of their existence," Sayed told AFP.

The prison raid shattered the relative calm of the final day of a three-day ceasefire between the Taliban and Afghan forces.

IS was not part of the truce.&nbsp;

The Afghan government still attempted to link the raid to the Taliban, which it said had violated the ceasefire 38 times.

Acting Interior Minister Massoud Andrabi said on Twitter that IS's new head in&nbsp;Afghanistan, Shahab Al-Mahajir, was a member of the Haqqani network, considered linked to the Taliban.

Washington has branded the Haqqani network, accused of carrying out numerous deadly attacks in&nbsp;Afghanistan, a terrorist organisation.

Afghan authorities were searching Tuesday for about 270 inmates, most of them Islamic State fighters, who remained on the loose after escaping during a deadly prison raid.

Afghan authorities were searching Tuesday for about 270 inmates, most of them Islamic State fighters, who remained on the loose after escaping during a deadly prison raid. At least 29 people were killed when Islamic State (IS) gunmen attacked the facility in Jalalabad on Sunday, with fierce fighting lasting until Monday afternoon. More than 1,300 inmates tried to escape, a senior Afghan security official said but most were either swiftly re-arrested or surrendered when surrounded by security forces. Also read: Afghan grand assembly to decide fate of Taliban prisoners on Friday But some 270 prisoners are "still on the loose", the official said. "Most of those who escaped are from ISKP," he said, referring to IS's Afghan branch, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province. They included militants responsible for several bloody attacks, a second security official told AFP. Also read: At least 24 dead in mass jailbreak in Afghanistan, scores of prisoners flee Nangarhar provincial governor's spokesman Attaullah Khogyani confirmed many prisoners were still missing, but couldn't say how many were IS members. Officials also said that security forces had shot dead on Tuesday another group of IS fighters who had launched a mortar attack targeting Jalalabad airport from a neighbourhood in the city around the same time when the prison raid commenced. Several mortar shells and other ammunition seized from a house in the neighbourhood were shown to journalists. The brazen prison raid came a day after Afghanistan's intelligence agency announced the killing of a top IS commander near Jalalabad. Nangarhar province, where IS got its first foothold in Afghanistan, has seen repeated attacks by the group, including a suicide bomb that killed 32 mourners at a funeral in May. Calm shattered The attacks have continued even though officials last year claimed IS had been defeated in Nangarhar. "A large number of their leadership was arrested or killed... so it (the prison raid) was some sort of revenge to free some of their comrades," a senior Afghan security official said. Some local officials and analysts, however, have cautioned that elements of group remained. "They (IS) want to challenge the monopoly of the Taliban over militancy or anti-state violence in the country," said Abdul Sayed, independent researcher on jihadism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said the Taliban, Kabul and Washington miscalculated about IS's defeat in Afghanistan. "They (IS) now seem to have changed their strategies to (launch) high profile terrorist attacks in Nanagarhar to Kabul to provide proof of their existence," Sayed told AFP. The prison raid shattered the relative calm of the final day of a three-day ceasefire between the Taliban and Afghan forces. IS was not part of the truce. The Afghan government still attempted to link the raid to the Taliban, which it said had violated the ceasefire 38 times. Acting Interior Minister Massoud Andrabi said on Twitter that IS's new head in Afghanistan, Shahab Al-Mahajir, was a member of the Haqqani network, considered linked to the Taliban. Washington has branded the Haqqani network, accused of carrying out numerous deadly attacks in Afghanistan, a terrorist organisation.

Islamic State jihadists on the run after Afghan prison raid

A team of United Nations Security Council in its report has said that Islamic State (IS) is working in the Maldives with "network of supporters".

The monitoring team of the UNSC's 1267 committee which is responsible for listing global terrorists in its reports to President of the council highlighted IS's role in the Indian Ocean Island country.

The report said,"The monitoring team was informed that ISIL-K works with a network of supporters in the Maldives"

On 15th of April five government speedboats were damaged in an arson attack in Mahibadhoo harbour in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

The IS claimed it to be the first attack in the country.

The UNSC report said,"according to member state information, the attack was a retaliation against government investigations into extremism and drug trafficking". Adding,"member states remain concerned about the radicalisation and recruitment in the Maldives"

The attack was extensively covered in IS media network in South Asia. The responsibility of the attack was taken via Al Naba, which is IS's weekly newsletter. The claim of responsibility was even translated to Dhivehi.

A team of United Nations Security Council in its report has said that Islamic State (IS) is working in the Maldives with "network of supporters". The monitoring team of the UNSC's 1267 committee which is responsible for listing global terrorists in its reports to President of the council highlighted IS's role in the Indian Ocean Island country.

A team of United Nations Security Council in its report has said that Islamic State (IS) is working in the Maldives with "network of supporters". The monitoring team of the UNSC's 1267 committee which is responsible for listing global terrorists in its reports to President of the council highlighted IS's role in the Indian Ocean Island country. The report said,"The monitoring team was informed that ISIL-K works with a network of supporters in the Maldives" On 15th of April five government speedboats were damaged in an arson attack in Mahibadhoo harbour in an attack claimed by Islamic State. The IS claimed it to be the first attack in the country. The UNSC report said,"according to member state information, the attack was a retaliation against government investigations into extremism and drug trafficking". Adding,"member states remain concerned about the radicalisation and recruitment in the Maldives" The attack was extensively covered in IS media network in South Asia. The responsibility of the attack was taken via Al Naba, which is IS's weekly newsletter. The claim of responsibility was even translated to Dhivehi.

Islamic State working with 'network of supporters' in the Maldives: UNSC report

Shamima Begum, who went to Syria to join Islamic State, has been allowed by a UK court on Thursday to return home to challenge government's decision which revoked her citizenship.

The court said the 20-year-old could not get a "fair and effective appeal" or play "any meaningful part" in the process if she fought her case from a Syrian refugee camp.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-teen-begum-asks-uk-to-show-more-mercy-198901">Runaway Islamic State teen Shamima Begum's mum asks UK for 'mercy'</a>

"Ms Begum should be allowed to come to the United Kingdom to pursue her appeal albeit subject to such controls as the (home secretary) deems appropriate," the court said, reported news agency AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/baby-of-islamic-state-teen-shamima-begum-dies-in-syria-sdf-202107">British Islamic State teen bride Shamima Begum's newborn son dies in Syria: SDF</a>

Begum was 15, when she along with two other school-going girls fled home to join the jihadist group on February 17, 2015.

Soon after reaching IS-controlled region, she married a Dutch and was found nine-months pregnant in a refugee camp in February 2019.&nbsp;

Begum's newborn baby died soon after she was born and her two other children lost their lives under IS rule.&nbsp;

The then-home secretary, Sajid Javid, cancelled her citizenship on grounds of national security.&nbsp;

Following this decision, Begum approached court, arguing that the move would make her stateless, encourage imhuman treatment and pose the risk of her death.&nbsp;

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said the government was "bitterly disappointed" with the verdict and would seek an appeal to ensure Begum could not return before the matter was heard.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Shamima Begum, who went to Syria to join Islamic State, has been allowed by a UK court on Thursday to return home to challenge government's decision which revoked her citizenship.

Shamima Begum, who went to Syria to join Islamic State, has been allowed by a UK court on Thursday to return home to challenge government's decision which revoked her citizenship. The court said the 20-year-old could not get a "fair and effective appeal" or play "any meaningful part" in the process if she fought her case from a Syrian refugee camp. Also read | Runaway Islamic State teen Shamima Begum's mum asks UK for 'mercy' "Ms Begum should be allowed to come to the United Kingdom to pursue her appeal albeit subject to such controls as the (home secretary) deems appropriate," the court said, reported news agency AFP. Also read | British Islamic State teen bride Shamima Begum's newborn son dies in Syria: SDF Begum was 15, when she along with two other school-going girls fled home to join the jihadist group on February 17, 2015. Soon after reaching IS-controlled region, she married a Dutch and was found nine-months pregnant in a refugee camp in February 2019. Begum's newborn baby died soon after she was born and her two other children lost their lives under IS rule. The then-home secretary, Sajid Javid, cancelled her citizenship on grounds of national security. Following this decision, Begum approached court, arguing that the move would make her stateless, encourage imhuman treatment and pose the risk of her death. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said the government was "bitterly disappointed" with the verdict and would seek an appeal to ensure Begum could not return before the matter was heard.

IS bride Shamima Begum allowed to return UK to fight for citizenship

Italian police said Wednesday they had seized a 14-tonne haul of amphetamines made by the Islamic State group in Syria, calling it the biggest seizure of such drugs in the world.

The drug, in the form of around 84 million Captagon tablets hidden inside industrial goods within containers, was worth about one billion euros ($1.12 billion), and intended to be sold on the European market "to finance terrorism," the finance police of Naples said in a statement.

"We know that the Islamic State finances its terrorist activities mainly by trafficking drugs made in Syria which in the past few years has become the world's largest producer of amphetamines," the statement said.

Police said three suspect containers had arrived at the port of Salerno, just south of Naples, containing large cylindrical paper rolls for industrial use as well as industrial machinery.&nbsp;

Cutting open the paper rolls and metal gearwheels with chainsaws, police found them filled with tablets. Video images taken by police showed pills spilling out of the rolls and wheels as they were forced opened.

"This is the&nbsp;largest seizure of amphetamines in the world," police said.

JIHAD DRUG

Captagon, a brand name, was originally for medical use but illegal versions have been dubbed "the Jihad Drug" -- after being widely used by IS fighters in combat -- the police said.

Citing the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Naples police said IS "makes extensive use of it in all territories over which it exerts influence and where it controls the drug trade".

Once the plants are established, "it is easy for IS to produce large quantities also for the world market for synthetic drugs, in order to quickly accumulate substantial funding," the statement said.

The amount of drugs seized were sufficient to satisfy the entire European market, police said, without providing a time frame.

A "consortium" of criminal groups were likely involved for the distribution of the drugs, including possibly many clans within the infamous Camorra of Naples, police said.

"The hypothesis is that during the lockdown... production and distribution of synthetic drugs in Europe has practically stopped," the statement said.&nbsp;

"Many smugglers, even in consortiums, have turned to Syria where production, however, does not seem to have slowed down."

Italian police said Wednesday they had seized a 14-tonne haul of amphetamines made by the Islamic State group in Syria, calling it the biggest seizure of such drugs in the world.

Italian police said Wednesday they had seized a 14-tonne haul of amphetamines made by the Islamic State group in Syria, calling it the biggest seizure of such drugs in the world. The drug, in the form of around 84 million Captagon tablets hidden inside industrial goods within containers, was worth about one billion euros ($1.12 billion), and intended to be sold on the European market "to finance terrorism," the finance police of Naples said in a statement. "We know that the Islamic State finances its terrorist activities mainly by trafficking drugs made in Syria which in the past few years has become the world's largest producer of amphetamines," the statement said. Police said three suspect containers had arrived at the port of Salerno, just south of Naples, containing large cylindrical paper rolls for industrial use as well as industrial machinery. Cutting open the paper rolls and metal gearwheels with chainsaws, police found them filled with tablets. Video images taken by police showed pills spilling out of the rolls and wheels as they were forced opened. "This is the largest seizure of amphetamines in the world," police said. JIHAD DRUG Captagon, a brand name, was originally for medical use but illegal versions have been dubbed "the Jihad Drug" -- after being widely used by IS fighters in combat -- the police said. Citing the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Naples police said IS "makes extensive use of it in all territories over which it exerts influence and where it controls the drug trade". Once the plants are established, "it is easy for IS to produce large quantities also for the world market for synthetic drugs, in order to quickly accumulate substantial funding," the statement said. The amount of drugs seized were sufficient to satisfy the entire European market, police said, without providing a time frame. A "consortium" of criminal groups were likely involved for the distribution of the drugs, including possibly many clans within the infamous Camorra of Naples, police said. "The hypothesis is that during the lockdown... production and distribution of synthetic drugs in Europe has practically stopped," the statement said. "Many smugglers, even in consortiums, have turned to Syria where production, however, does not seem to have slowed down."

Italy seizes IS-made drugs worth one billion euros

By Brian Glyn Williams 
 
An Islamic State follower posted the hashtag “#AmericaBurning” in a discussion on the Telegram chat system in early June, and another posted a message that read “You are waking up this morning to news of the destruction of America, the dismantling of its States, and civil war.”

Another Islamic State website proclaimed “Destruction, fragmentation. America is burning,” while an Islamic State supporter posted photos in the same Telegram forum of the riots, writing “O Allah, burn them like they burned the lands of the Muslims.”

IS supporters are rejoicing at tensions from both peaceful protests and occasional violence in US&nbsp;streets in the wake of George Floyd’s May 25 death. As a scholar who tracks the Islamic State group and its affiliates, I have followed how the Islamic State has been exploiting the effects of the coronavirus on its enemies and celebrating the effects of racial tensions and the pandemic in America.

An opportunity in the pandemic

Islamic State followers are excited at the prospect of a massive Western death toll from the coronavirus, which they defined as “God’s smallest soldier.”

They also see the virus at work in US&nbsp;military pullbacks related to the coronavirus – such as the March announcement from the Pentagon that it would stop sending troops to Iraq for at least two months.

In addition, the US&nbsp;pulled some troops out of Iraq, withdrew many more from six frontline operating bases and ordered the troops remaining in the country to stay on their bases – moves that ended most joint missions with local Iraqi and Kurdish troops.

In Iraq, the Islamic State has reacted by stepping up attacks. They have targeted pro-government Shiite militia members and Iraqi and Kurdish troops, who now have less U.S. support to help defend them.

British and US airstrikes are, however, still targeting the group’s fortified cave hideouts in northern Iraq, which Iraqi ground troops are also continuing to attack, albeit with fewer troops due to coronavirus base lockdowns.

In Syria, emboldened Islamic State forces have recently attacked government troops with land mines, heavy weapons and car bombings killing hundreds.

IS also fears the virus 
 
For all the opportunities the pandemic seemingly offers the Islamic State, the group is also worried about how the virus affects them. In Syria, Kurdish forces are holding captive as many as 12,000 Islamic State fighters and 70,000 of their family members, mostly women and children, in vast, cramped, unhygienic internment camps. There is no possibility of social distancing.

The prisoners live in terror of the pandemic breaking out among them and have been rioting in efforts to escape the camps. In May, Islamic State prisoners briefly rose up and took control of a prison holding as many as 5,000 captives before they were suppressed.

Islamic State leaders have not only called for their fighters to attack the lightly guarded camps to free the prisoners, but also expressed concern about the disease spreading among their own forces.

Calls for jihad in the West 
 
A US&nbsp;Department of Homeland Security bulletin in late March warned that the Islamic State’s newsletter had called for attacks on US&nbsp;and European health care targets that are strained by the pandemic. The Islamic State has ordered its followers not to travel to Europe, where the virus outbreak is far worse than in the Middle East. But the group has suggested that its followers who are already in Europe exploit the chaos, calling for “new strikes … similar to the strikes of Paris, London, Brussels and other places” where followers have used bombs and firearms to kill dozens of people in recent years.

The Islamic State is even suggesting that killing “infidels” could be a way for followers to protect themselves from the virus, stating, “They should also remember that obedience to God – the most beloved form of which is jihad – turns away the torment and wrath of God.”

Limited activity in Europe 
 
Those calls may have had some response.

On March 11, German authorities arrested four suspected members of an Islamic State cell who were allegedly planning an attack on American military facilities with explosives. In April, a Sudanese man stabbed seven people, killing two, in southeastern France. Most recently, on June 20, a Libyan man stabbed six people in a park in Reading, England, killing three.

I do not believe these attacks in France and Britain or the disrupted plot in Germany signal a resurgence in Islamic State activity in the West. IS’s messaging has lost much of its galvanizing appeal since the group lost its transnational state, which had inspired many followers, in a five-year war in Syria and Iraq.

My research shows that calls for attacks on the FIFA World Cup soccer finals in Russia in 2018 and against Fourth of July festivities in the US&nbsp;in 2019 were never acted on. While the Islamic State group can still carry out attacks in the Middle East and through its affiliates around the world, their gloating at American coronavirus deaths and racial tensions does not necessarily translate to a real threat to the US.

(Brian Glyn Williams is Professor of Islamic History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth) 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) &nbsp;

By Brian Glyn Williams An Islamic State follower posted the hashtag “#AmericaBurning” in a discussion on the Telegram chat system in early June, and another posted a message that read “You are waking up this morning to news of the destruction of America, the dismantling of its States, and civil war.

By Brian Glyn Williams An Islamic State follower posted the hashtag “#AmericaBurning” in a discussion on the Telegram chat system in early June, and another posted a message that read “You are waking up this morning to news of the destruction of America, the dismantling of its States, and civil war.” Another Islamic State website proclaimed “Destruction, fragmentation. America is burning,” while an Islamic State supporter posted photos in the same Telegram forum of the riots, writing “O Allah, burn them like they burned the lands of the Muslims.” IS supporters are rejoicing at tensions from both peaceful protests and occasional violence in US streets in the wake of George Floyd’s May 25 death. As a scholar who tracks the Islamic State group and its affiliates, I have followed how the Islamic State has been exploiting the effects of the coronavirus on its enemies and celebrating the effects of racial tensions and the pandemic in America. An opportunity in the pandemic Islamic State followers are excited at the prospect of a massive Western death toll from the coronavirus, which they defined as “God’s smallest soldier.” They also see the virus at work in US military pullbacks related to the coronavirus – such as the March announcement from the Pentagon that it would stop sending troops to Iraq for at least two months. In addition, the US pulled some troops out of Iraq, withdrew many more from six frontline operating bases and ordered the troops remaining in the country to stay on their bases – moves that ended most joint missions with local Iraqi and Kurdish troops. In Iraq, the Islamic State has reacted by stepping up attacks. They have targeted pro-government Shiite militia members and Iraqi and Kurdish troops, who now have less U.S. support to help defend them. British and US airstrikes are, however, still targeting the group’s fortified cave hideouts in northern Iraq, which Iraqi ground troops are also continuing to attack, albeit with fewer troops due to coronavirus base lockdowns. In Syria, emboldened Islamic State forces have recently attacked government troops with land mines, heavy weapons and car bombings killing hundreds. IS also fears the virus For all the opportunities the pandemic seemingly offers the Islamic State, the group is also worried about how the virus affects them. In Syria, Kurdish forces are holding captive as many as 12,000 Islamic State fighters and 70,000 of their family members, mostly women and children, in vast, cramped, unhygienic internment camps. There is no possibility of social distancing. The prisoners live in terror of the pandemic breaking out among them and have been rioting in efforts to escape the camps. In May, Islamic State prisoners briefly rose up and took control of a prison holding as many as 5,000 captives before they were suppressed. Islamic State leaders have not only called for their fighters to attack the lightly guarded camps to free the prisoners, but also expressed concern about the disease spreading among their own forces. Calls for jihad in the West A US Department of Homeland Security bulletin in late March warned that the Islamic State’s newsletter had called for attacks on US and European health care targets that are strained by the pandemic. The Islamic State has ordered its followers not to travel to Europe, where the virus outbreak is far worse than in the Middle East. But the group has suggested that its followers who are already in Europe exploit the chaos, calling for “new strikes … similar to the strikes of Paris, London, Brussels and other places” where followers have used bombs and firearms to kill dozens of people in recent years. The Islamic State is even suggesting that killing “infidels” could be a way for followers to protect themselves from the virus, stating, “They should also remember that obedience to God – the most beloved form of which is jihad – turns away the torment and wrath of God.” Limited activity in Europe Those calls may have had some response. On March 11, German authorities arrested four suspected members of an Islamic State cell who were allegedly planning an attack on American military facilities with explosives. In April, a Sudanese man stabbed seven people, killing two, in southeastern France. Most recently, on June 20, a Libyan man stabbed six people in a park in Reading, England, killing three. I do not believe these attacks in France and Britain or the disrupted plot in Germany signal a resurgence in Islamic State activity in the West. IS’s messaging has lost much of its galvanizing appeal since the group lost its transnational state, which had inspired many followers, in a five-year war in Syria and Iraq. My research shows that calls for attacks on the FIFA World Cup soccer finals in Russia in 2018 and against Fourth of July festivities in the US in 2019 were never acted on. While the Islamic State group can still carry out attacks in the Middle East and through its affiliates around the world, their gloating at American coronavirus deaths and racial tensions does not necessarily translate to a real threat to the US. (Brian Glyn Williams is Professor of Islamic History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Islamic State militants incite attacks, gloat at US protests and pandemic deaths

The United States on Thursday blamed Islamic State militants -- not the Taliban -- for a gruesome hospital attack in Afghanistan this week that killed two newborn babies, and it renewed calls for Afghans to embrace a troubled peace push with the Taliban insurgency.

But it was unclear if the U.S. declaration would be enough to bolster the peace effort and reverse a decision by the Kabul government to resume offensive operations against the Taliban.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the military on Tuesday to switch to "offensive mode" against the Taliban following the hospital attack in Kabul and a suicide bombing in Nangarhar province that killed scores of people.

U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad blamed Islamic State for both attacks in a statement issued on Twitter, saying the group opposed any Taliban peace agreement and sought to trigger an Iraq-style sectarian war in Afghanistan.

"Rather than falling into the ISIS trap and delay peace or create obstacles, Afghans must come together to crush this menace and pursue a historic peace opportunity," Khalilzad said.

"No more excuses. Afghans, and the world, deserve better."

An affiliate of the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the Nangarhar bombing, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. No one has claimed the hospital attack.&nbsp;

The Taliban denied involvement in either attack, but the government accused the group of fostering an environment in which terrorism thrives or of working with other militant groups who could have been involved, straining U.S. efforts to bring the insurgents and Afghan government together.

The attacks were another setback to U.S. President Donald Trump`s stalled plans to bring peace to Afghanistan and end America`s longest war.

A Feb. 29 U.S.-Taliban deal called for a phased U.S. troop withdrawal and for the Afghan government and Taliban to release some prisoners by March 10, when peace talks were to start.&nbsp;

Intra-Afghan peace talks have yet to occur and there is some bitterness within the Afghan government, which was not a party to the Feb. 29 deal, that the United States undercut their leverage by negotiating directly with the Taliban.

Ghani`s decision to revive offensive operations is supported by many opposition figures, who believe Washington`s sole focus is to keep the U.S. troop withdrawal plan on track to help Trump win a second term in the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election.

The United States on Thursday blamed Islamic State militants -- not the Taliban -- for a gruesome hospital attack in Afghanistan this week that killed two newborn babies, and it renewed calls for Afghans to embrace a troubled peace push with the Taliban insurgency.

The United States on Thursday blamed Islamic State militants -- not the Taliban -- for a gruesome hospital attack in Afghanistan this week that killed two newborn babies, and it renewed calls for Afghans to embrace a troubled peace push with the Taliban insurgency. But it was unclear if the U.S. declaration would be enough to bolster the peace effort and reverse a decision by the Kabul government to resume offensive operations against the Taliban. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the military on Tuesday to switch to "offensive mode" against the Taliban following the hospital attack in Kabul and a suicide bombing in Nangarhar province that killed scores of people. U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad blamed Islamic State for both attacks in a statement issued on Twitter, saying the group opposed any Taliban peace agreement and sought to trigger an Iraq-style sectarian war in Afghanistan. "Rather than falling into the ISIS trap and delay peace or create obstacles, Afghans must come together to crush this menace and pursue a historic peace opportunity," Khalilzad said. "No more excuses. Afghans, and the world, deserve better." An affiliate of the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the Nangarhar bombing, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. No one has claimed the hospital attack. The Taliban denied involvement in either attack, but the government accused the group of fostering an environment in which terrorism thrives or of working with other militant groups who could have been involved, straining U.S. efforts to bring the insurgents and Afghan government together. The attacks were another setback to U.S. President Donald Trump`s stalled plans to bring peace to Afghanistan and end America`s longest war. A Feb. 29 U.S.-Taliban deal called for a phased U.S. troop withdrawal and for the Afghan government and Taliban to release some prisoners by March 10, when peace talks were to start. Intra-Afghan peace talks have yet to occur and there is some bitterness within the Afghan government, which was not a party to the Feb. 29 deal, that the United States undercut their leverage by negotiating directly with the Taliban. Ghani`s decision to revive offensive operations is supported by many opposition figures, who believe Washington`s sole focus is to keep the U.S. troop withdrawal plan on track to help Trump win a second term in the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election.

US says Islamic State conducted the attack on Kabul hospital

There has been a surge in violence in Afghanistan. Around 40 lives were lost in two terror attacks on Tuesday. To be precise, six attacks have taken place in Afghanistan in the last 48 hours.

On Tuesday, gunmen attacked a government hospital in Kabul and killed at least a dozen people. According to reports, the attack was aimed at expats.

The hospital houses a maternity clinic supported by doctors without borders. The hospital is located in Dashti Barchi which is mostly inhabited by the minority Shia community. Dashti Barchi has been targeted by the Islamic State in the past.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for this attack. Meanwhile, Islamic State militants are known to operate in the province.

Hours before the hospital seize, a suicide attacker detonated himself at a funeral at Khewa district of the Nangarhar province. The suicide attack killed at least 20 people.

The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack on the mourners gathered in Khewa district of Nangarhar province on the border with Pakistan.

Several&nbsp;attacks in the capital in recent months have been claimed by Islamic State. Islamic State fighters first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in around 2014.

The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), after an old name for the region that includes Afghanistan, has carried out some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan over recent years.

(With inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

There has been a surge in violence in Afghanistan. Around 40 lives were lost in two terror attacks on Tuesday. To be precise, six attacks have taken place in Afghanistan in the last 48 hours.

There has been a surge in violence in Afghanistan. Around 40 lives were lost in two terror attacks on Tuesday. To be precise, six attacks have taken place in Afghanistan in the last 48 hours. On Tuesday, gunmen attacked a government hospital in Kabul and killed at least a dozen people. According to reports, the attack was aimed at expats. The hospital houses a maternity clinic supported by doctors without borders. The hospital is located in Dashti Barchi which is mostly inhabited by the minority Shia community. Dashti Barchi has been targeted by the Islamic State in the past. No militant group has claimed responsibility for this attack. Meanwhile, Islamic State militants are known to operate in the province. Hours before the hospital seize, a suicide attacker detonated himself at a funeral at Khewa district of the Nangarhar province. The suicide attack killed at least 20 people. The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack on the mourners gathered in Khewa district of Nangarhar province on the border with Pakistan. Several attacks in the capital in recent months have been claimed by Islamic State. Islamic State fighters first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in around 2014. The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), after an old name for the region that includes Afghanistan, has carried out some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan over recent years. (With inputs from Reuters)

Afghanistan jolted by a series of terror attacks

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