Washington: The Islamic State (IS) jihadist group wants to expand its operations in Bangladesh to boost its image among local radicals, US-based intelligence assessment company Stratfor said in a report on Tuesday.
"The Islamic State will attempt more sensational attacks in Bangladesh to gain the support of extremists in the country," the report stated, according to Sputnik News.
The IS militants have published their goals for expansion in the latest edition of their magazine Dabiq, according to Stratfor.
IS head of operations in Bangladesh Sheikh Abu Ibrahim al-Hanif said the group wants to target Christian missionaries and foreigners, along with Hindu and Shiite figures.
Al-Hanif also noted that Bangladesh is strategically important due to its proximity to eastern India and Myanmar, as well as its involvement with the UN peacekeeping missions in Muslim-majority countries.
"Bangladeshi nationals and foreign extremists of Bangladeshi descent fighting in Iraq and Syria will provide the Islamic State with skilled bombmakers and operational planners in Bangladesh," the report added.
The Islamic State, also known as Daesh, has been designated as a terrorist group and is outlawed in the United States, Russia and numerous other countries. The infamous group has seized large areas in Iraq and Syria, and declared a caliphate on territories under its control.
