As questions remain about whether the group was behind the attack, here is what you need to know about ISIS-K.
At least 133 people died in a massacre at a concert hall in Moscow on the night of March 22 in what was the deadliest terror attack on Russian soil in more than a decade. ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), a terrorist group based in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the carnage.
The ISIS branch claimed responsibility for the massacre in a statement posted on affiliated social media channels, although neither the Kremlin nor Russian security services have officially assigned blame for the attack.
A U.S. intelligence official, meanwhile, told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had confirmed that ISIS was responsible for the attack.
Hinting at a potential Ukrainian involvement, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on March 23 that the attackers have co-conspirators on the Ukrainian side of the border.
“They were traveling toward Ukraine where, according to preliminary information, they had a window to cross the border,” he said.
While questions remain concerning what the group’s motivations were or whether at all the group was behind the attack, here is what is known about ISIS-K.
ISIS-K’s Targets
Emerging in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014, ISIS-K remains one of the most active terrorist groups that fight under the ISIS banner. It has said it aims to create an Islamic caliphate spanning across West and Central Asia.
Over the past decade, ISIS-K has established a reputation for brutality, sometimes fighting against the Taliban, who now run the country after the United States and its allies withdrew their forces in August 2021. The group’s targets also include Iran, the Islamic Republic dominated by a clerical hierarchy following the Shia school, which they consider heretical.
In January, nearly 100 people were killed in two explosions at a ceremony in Iran to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani, who died in a U.S. drone strike four years ago. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack, which was confirmed by U.S. intelligence.
In September 2022, ISIS-K claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian Embassy in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Russia is one of the few countries to have maintained a diplomatic mission in Kabul after the Taliban takeover. While the Kremlin does not officially recognize the Taliban regime, there have been talks over a potential deal to import Russian oil products in exchange for Afghan minerals.
