New Delhi, Aug 13 (JKNS): A United Nations Security Council counter-terrorism monitoring report has linked the deadly November 2025 Red Fort blast in Delhi, which killed 15 people, to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and its designated affiliate Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH).
The report, published this week, said AQIS has continued to evolve from a fragmented organisation into a regional terrorist entity, increasingly relying on small, separate cells rather than large conventional formations to expand its network.
According to the assessment, the organisation has also developed logistical and financial networks to support its operations.
The report further expressed concern that AQIS could attempt to use Bangladesh as a base to establish new terrorist cells, highlighting the broader regional threat posed by Al-Qaeda and its affiliates.
The Red Fort blast took place on November 10, 2025, amid an investigation into a large quantity of explosives recovered from Faridabad in neighbouring Haryana. Investigators had seized around 2,900 kg of explosive material, including ammonium nitrate, before the blast, according to the report.
The suicide bomber, identified as Umar Mohammad, allegedly detonated the explosive device after the arrest of two key members of the terror module, Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Adil Rather, and the seizure of the explosives.
In the Red Fort blast case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) subsequently filed a 7,500-page chargesheet against 10 accused, alleging their links with AGuH, an AQIS affiliate.
The investigation reportedly uncovered evidence indicating that some accused, including medical professionals, had been radicalised and were involved in efforts to revive the AGuH network.
The probe also alleged that the blast involved triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a highly volatile explosive, which was allegedly manufactured after the accused secretly procured chemicals and conducted repeated experiments.
According to the investigation, the terror module’s activities extended beyond Delhi, with the accused allegedly planning to expand the network to other parts of the country.
The UN assessment also highlighted broader concerns regarding Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIL/Da’esh) affiliates and their longstanding interest in developing chemical and biological weapons, while noting the technical challenges that have so far limited their capabilities.
AQIS and its affiliates were designated as terrorist organisations by the Union Government in 2018. (JKNS)
