US warns its citizens of growing Isis threat in India

Amid increasing threats of attacks by the Islamic State (Isis), the US State Department has issued a travel warning to all its citizens travelling to India. The department on Tuesday (1 November) has said that places in the country that are frequented by Westerners are prone to IS (Daesh) attack.

On 9 September, the US had issued a similar warning stating that India "continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities which may affect US citizens directly or indirectly". The message had mentioned threats from Islamist extremist groups Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Indian Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

However, in the latest warning posted on Twitter, the state department particularly warned against Isis threats. "Recent Indian media reports suggest the IS's desire to attack targets in India. The US Embassy warns of an increased threat to places in India frequented by westerners, such as religious sites, markets, and festival venues," the message read.

The state department urged its citizens travelling to the country to remain vigilant and alert, and "take appropriate steps" to increase security awareness as detailed in the 9 September warning.

The warnings come months after a deadly terror attack on a café frequented by foreigners in India's neighbouring country, Bangladesh, shocked the sub-continent. 20 people were killed when gunmen randomly opened fire at the customers at Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery on 1 July. Isis claimed responsibility of the attack, but Bangladesh government blamed it on the local terror group, Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

About two weeks ago, Bangladesh security agencies announced that the head of the terror group, Abdur Rahman, died on 8 October in a hospital. He had injured himself by jumping off the fifth floor of a building that was raided by Bangladesh's elite security unit, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).