The group that calls itself the Islamic State, a few days after the proclamation of another new overseas province in northern India, announced the establishment of a new overseas province in Pakistan.
Until recently, Islamic State operations in Asia were conducted under the banner of the Islamic State - Khorasan Province, or IS-KP. The dark group, founded in early 2015, was led by former Taliban warlords who swore allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the spiritual leader and self-proclaimed emir of the Islamic State.
Since that time, at least two of the IS-KP leaders have been killed by US forces, while the group has been engaged in a war against rival militant groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan, most notably the Taliban.
Last week, the Islamic State announced the establishment of a new overseas province in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The announcement was made by Amaq, which acts as the Islamic State news agency.
According to the press release, the Islamic State has named the new province "wilayah al-Hind" (Hind province) based in the predominantly Muslim Kashmir Valley, which is located in one of the three administrative divisions of the Indian administrative state of Jammu and Kashmir. To this was added, a few hours ago, a new press release from Amaq which proclaimed the establishment of the Islamic State - Province of Pakistan.
In the same press release, the Islamic State said the first action of the new overseas province was the killing of a Pakistani police officer in Mastung, a mountainous city located in the Pakistani province of Pakistan. In addition to killing the police officer, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an armed attack on a gathering of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, the dominant Taliban group in Pashtun operating on Pakistani soil. The attack took place last week in Quetta, the largest urban center and provincial capital of Baluchistan.
Last month, the Islamic State declared itself responsible for Laa suicide attack, killing 20 people and injuring 50 others.
The attack targeted Pakistani Hazara Muslims, who are seen as heretics by several Islamic militant groups operating in the region.
The latest announcement of a new overseas province of the Islamic State represents further evidence that the Islamic State is gradually moving its operations center to the eastern regions of Asia. Last April, the militant group declared itself responsible for a series of synchronized suicide attacks in Sri Lanka, which resulted in the deaths of over 250 people.