What is ISIS-K and which other major attacks have they claimed? | Yalda Explains

They've described it as a powerful blow against Russia. But who exactly are the splinter ISIS group who allegedly carried out the attack at a concert hall in Moscow? And should we be worried? Here's what you need to know. They claim to be behind the worst terrorist attack on Russia for years and have a reputation for brutality. But who exactly are the offshoot terrorist group ISIS-K? Islamic State Khorasan emerged in 2015, expanding the group's reach outside Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State Khorasan province is definitely the largest sort of global terrorism threat that we see nowadays. They've been able to do more and more audacious attacks in recent years in a way that we hadn't seen previously. These are some of the attacks carried out by ISIS-K over the last two years. The latest in Moscow. Kabul airport in 2021. Massive bombings in Iran in January. Shootings at a church in Istanbul. Their reach growing ever wider. Taking the name Khorasan, it's used by some Islamic rulers to describe Afghanistan and the surrounding region. But they're now thought to be gaining supporters from this tiny Central Asian country. So why are ISIS-K recruiting from Tajikistan? Three of the four men detained by Russia are alleged to be of Tajik origin, leading to a meeting between Vladimir Putin and the Tajik president. They're all people who were typically labour margins, being treated harshly, so basically harbouring very strong resentment. And they have nowhere else to go back to. So how worried should we be? We know that Germany foiled a planned New Year's Eve attack in Cologne last year. Security is also now being ramped up in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron said the same people tried to attack France. This particular group that appears to be involved in this attack made several failed attempts on our soil. We've decided to increase the threat level. A UN report found the group to now be the greatest threat in Afghanistan. ISIS-K continues to be active in the region. But its Moscow attack points to a strategy of terror with global ambitions.