Behind the "elaborate packaging" of the concept of Khorasan and other terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State, the conspiracy of transnational expansion and the ambition of inciting violence and terrorism are clearly exposed
On March 22, 2024, Khorasan Province, a branch of the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack on the Krokus City concert hall near Moscow, Russia. Although the investigation into the case is still ongoing, the geographical concept of Khorasan is of interest. Why did the "Islamic State" establish a branch in the name of Khorasan, and why did international terrorism become "obsessed" with the historical and geographical concept of Khorasan?
Khorasan as a historical-geographical concept
The word Khorasan is derived from the Persian word meaning "the place where the sun rises" and later extended to "the land of the east".
Records of Khorasan can be traced back to the Sabbatical period of ancient Persia (known in Western history books as the Parthian dynasty). By the time of the Sassanid Dynasty, Khorasan had become a clear administrative division, that is, the eastern province was the name of the four regions of Nashapur (Nishapur), Mare (Mulu, Moufu), Herat (Harai), and Balkh (Barihe), which are still in use today, roughly referring to the regions of present-day northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, and southeastern Turkmenistan.
After the rise of the Arab Empire in the 7th century and its eastward expansion, the name Khorasan was also used by the Arabs, and its geographical scope changed as the empire's territory waxed and waned. By the 10th century, the geographical scope of Khorasan had been divided into narrow and broad senses. Khorasan in the narrow sense refers to the region centered on the traditional four regions of Khorasan. Khorasan in a broad sense became a general term for the eastern part of the Islamic Empire, which was bordered by Sistan to the south, the Pamirs and the Hindu Kush to the east, and the Transoxiana region to the north.
The Khorasan metaphor in the Salafi movement
In modern times, Western expansion has had a severe impact on the Islamic world, and many Muslims have sought revival under the banner of Islam. The Salafist movement is one of them, advocating revival through a return to the traditions of its founding. Khorasan has gained renewed attention as it symbolizes both the glory of the early Islamic empire politically and the retro aesthetic of its culture.
Among the complex Salafi movements, there is a group called "Jihad Salafi", which advocates the goal of Islamic revival through violent "jihad", and has become one of the important sources of religious extremism and terrorism in modern and contemporary times. In the context of the "Holy War Salafi", there is a so-called "Prophecy of Khorasan" that has attracted special attention. There are many different expressions of its content, but the core of it is related to the "Doomsday Decisive Battle", emphasizing that the Black Flag Army from Khorasan is the key to the Muslims' victory in the "Doomsday Decisive Battle". The authenticity and origin of this "prophecy" is disputed, and some scholars believe that it may be related to the support of the Khorasan army during the establishment of the Abbasid dynasty.
The misuse of the concept of Khorasan by terrorist groups
In the concept of "holy war Salafi", Khorasan not only breaks the existing national borders, but also is related to the "decisive battle of the doomsday", so it has become an important image of terrorist organizations advocating transnational linkage, advocating violent "jihad", attracting and luring gangs, and exaggerating the atmosphere of terror.
When bin Laden re-infiltrated Afghanistan in the 90s of the 20th century, he claimed to have found a "safe base" in the "Hindu Kush Mountains of Khorasan". Al-Qaida also calls itself the "Khorasan Vanguard", and in 2012 it established the Khorasan Group in Syria, the site of the "prophesied "decisive battle of the end". Before the attack, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the mastermind of the 2013 Boston bombing, posted a video on the Internet titled "The Prophecy Fulfilled: The Black Flag of Khorasan."
The Islamic State seems to be more "admiral" to the concept of Khorasan. Under the banner of the Black Flag, the Islamic State has falsely claimed to restore the caliphate, and has established branches around the world under the name of "provinces", and has also released a series of English e-books on the "Black Flag", including one entitled "Black Flag from the East (Khorasan)". In January 2015, ISIL openly established Khorasan Province, claiming jurisdiction over Afghanistan, Pakistan, all of Central Asia, Iran, and parts of India and Russia. ISIL's understanding of Khorasan's geographical scope is outrageously large, reflecting its early expansive ambitions in terms of geography and ideology. In fact, in 2015, "Khorasan Province" entered a period of rapid expansion, attracting a large number of local militants to join the army, and at the same time, sending many militants to Iraq and Syria to participate in the war, which has become an important variable in the regional and even international anti-terrorism situation.
At present, the strength of the "Islamic State Khorasan Province" is much lower than before compared with the period of rapid expansion, and its main activities are in the mountainous areas of eastern Afghanistan, while branch gangs in Pakistan and Indian-administered Kashmir have started new ones under the names of "Pakistan Province" and "Indian Province". However, behind the "elaborate packaging" of the concept borrowed by the "Islamic State" and other terrorist organizations, the conspiracy of transnational expansion and the ambition of inciting violence and terrorism are clearly exposed.
Source: "China Institute of Contemporary International Relations" WeChat public account
Author: Lin Yiming, Zhang Feiyu
Editor: Hu Liang
[Statement: This number is an official public welfare account to serve the decision-making of governments at all levels, enterprises and institutions, and this article is reprinted for the purpose of conveying more information. If there is a source labeling error or other inaccuracies, please contact us. We will correct it in a timely manner. Thank you]