Bangladesh: Islamist Militant Threat ‘Underestimated’

The Islamist militant threat in Bangladesh has been underestimated says the editor of a journal that tracks jihadi groups around the world.

“We now have competition between al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Bangladesh, which means that the jihadist pool is deep enough for both organizations to operate in the country,” said Thomas Joscelyn, senior editor at The Long War Journal, reported Reuters.

Bangladesh officials say the so-called Islamic State and al Qaeda are not directly involved in the Islamic militant killings of more than 30 people in the country since early 2015.

However Joscelyn said that there is evidence that Bangladeshi Islamic militants have direct links with al Qaeda.

The two international jihadi movements have claimed responsibility for the murders that have targeted minority groups and activists in this Muslim-majority South Asian nation.