The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K) have threatened to launch attacks against embassies of India, China, and Iran in Afghanistan, revealed a report by the United Nations. According to the report, the terror group’s intent behind the attack was to undermine the relationship between Taliban and the UN member states in the Central and South Asia region. 

The revelations were made in a report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the threat posed by ISIL. 

“The activities of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K) remained a significant terrorist threat in Central and South Asia, and the group retained ambitions to conduct external operations,” the 16th report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of member states in countering the threat said.

According to the report, the ISIL-K had positioned itself as the “primary rival” to the Taliban and was reportedly set to portray the Taliban as incapable of providing security in the country.

“By targeting diplomatic missions, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan also sought to undermine the relationship between the Taliban and member states in the region,” it said.

"The group also threatened to launch terrorist attacks against the embassies of China, India and the Islamic Republic of Iran in Afghanistan,” the report said.

It is to be noted that India had resumed its diplomatic presence in Kabul in June last year, by deploying a technical team in its embassy in the Afghan capital, over 10 months after it pulled out its officials from the mission following the Taliban's capture of power.

The report of the Secretary-General further added that an attack in September last year on the Russian Embassy in Kabul was the first against a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan since the takeover by the Taliban.

Image courtesy: Times of India