Islamic State claims 'Hind Province' in Jammu and Kashmir after clash

The Islamic State's official mouthpiece Amaq News Agency claimed a 'province' in India late on Friday, called "Wilayah of Hind" following the skirmish with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, while announcing the 'Hind province' it also claimed that IS inflicted casualties on Indian security forces in the town of Amshipora in the Shopian district 

The announcement corresponded with the Police statement that declared the killing of Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi alias Abdulla bhai, a close-aide of Zakir Moosa in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Kashmir. 

In realm of narratives, the Islamic States' endevour to expand and establish its province in the region is seen as an attempt to fortify its positioning after taking heavy losses from its vast territories Iraq and Syria last month.

However, it is crucial to acknowlege that ISIS works on impacting on a psychological level, thus is expected to amplify its approach towards radicalising potential recruits online.

The number of Indians who managed to travel to either West Asia or Afghanistan to answer ISIS’ call between 2014 and 2016 is around 10 to 15. However, NIA reports of NIA conducting raids on IS module in Kerala, Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh etc have been surfacing.  

The director of a group that tracks the terror outfit, SITE Intel Group, Rita Katz said, "The establishment of a ‘province’ in a region where it has nothing resembling actual governance is absurd, but it should not be written off." 

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"The world may roll its eyes at these developments (I sure have), but to jihadists in these vulnerable regions, this are significant gestures to help lay the groundwork in rebuilding the map of the ISIS' 'Caliphate.' Thus, these regions should be closely watched," she said in a tweet.

The terrorist killed by Indian Security Forces, Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi alias Abdulla bhai was a commander of the Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK), an IS-inspired module, with Zakir Moosa as its chief, sources said. Ishfaq was believed to be the lone survivor of the terror outfit in Kashmir.

On Friday, following his encounter, outh pelted the forces with stones outside Jamia Masjid and waved the flags of the Islamic State and Pakistan. 

Masked pelters took the streets after the weekly congregational prayers in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar, as clashes broke between the security forces and youth. 

The reports of Islamic State announcing the establishment of Wilayah of Hind comes a week later when the Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, made an appearance in a video  for the first time in five years.

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Despite repeated reports of his death, the ISIL leader was seen in a propaganda video. Intelligence reports claimed that he went underground somewhere in Iraq or Syria.