Dhaka: The attack in November 2025 on the Red Fort in Delhi was officially attributed to Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and there was some concern about ‘AQIS trying to exploit Bangladesh’ to establish cells, said the biannual report from the UN Security Council’s monitoring team for sanctions on al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the report highlights that AQIS has continued to evolve from a fragmented group into a regional terrorist entity by establishing logistics and financial networks, operating in decentralized small, scattered cells instead of large units. This transformation has raised alarm regarding their potential attempts to exploit regions like Bangladesh to further their activities.
The report, entitled the Thirty-eighth report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team submitted pursuant to resolution 2734 (2024), outlines concerns over regional tensions in South Asia. It notes that cross-border attacks between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to escalate, further heightening the threat level in the region.
The summary of the report indicates that while the overall threat level remains broadly unchanged, it has intensified in areas like the Sahel and South Asia. Al-Qaida’s senior leadership remains marginalized, and their capability and intent to conduct external operations remain unclear, according to the report.
Further complicating the global terror landscape, the death of Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki has dealt a significant blow to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, Da’esh), potentially hampering its global communication network.
In other regions, such as the Sahel, groups like Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) have launched aggressive operations against the Government of Mali, announcing intentions to blockade Bamako. This adds to the resurgence of violent rivalries between JNIM and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
The report also touches upon the situation in Somalia, noting that Al-Shabaab appears to be shifting towards more targeted operations, while ISIL in Somalia remains under counter-terrorism pressure. Meanwhile, the closure of detention camps in Syria presents new challenges as ISIL (Da’esh) seeks to exploit the situation.
In Yemen, Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has capitalized on security vacuums to bolster its capabilities, while groups like the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) expand their reach and lethality in regions like Haut-U©l© Province.
Concerns have also been raised about the Taliban’s support for Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), leading to increased attacks against Pakistan and provoking military exchanges. Despite public denials, the Taliban’s harboring of terrorist groups remains a significant concern for the region.
The report concludes that the terrorist threat from Afghanistan remains largely unchanged, with numerous groups continuing to pose a threat to neighboring countries and the Central Asian region. Efforts by Afghan authorities to combat ISIL-K and other groups have not fully suppressed the terrorist activities, posing ongoing security challenges.