The United States has included the Islamic State’s (IS) affiliate in Afghanistan and Pakistan – IS-Khorasan – in its newest terror watch-list, slapping sanctions against major IS leaders and financial figures.
On Tuesday, the State Department issued a press release, designating 10 individuals and five groups, and amending the designations of two additional groups as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The Treasury Department also announced sanctions against 15 IS figures, including supporters and facilitators. The ultra-orthodox, Middle Eastern militant outfit, also known as ISIS or ISIL, has established a self-proclaimed caliphate over large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria. Their reign of terror has attracted widespread criticism and military action by a US-led coalition.
IS-Khorasan’s formation was announced in an online video on January 10. The group is led by former Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Hafiz Saeed Khan, and consists of former Pakistani and Afghan Taliban faction commanders.
