Terror organization: Emir of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)

Status: Leader. (after Asim Umar death)

Role: AQIS is Al Qaeda’s newest branch, founded in September 2014. Reportedly operating in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Burma, Bangladesh, and Kashmir, the group seeks to wage jihad in order to establish an Islamic state

Location: Unknown, somewhere in the region of India/ Pakistan/ Bangladesh/ Afghanistan.

Also Known As: Qari Amjad; Usama Mahmud; Abu Zar; Atta Ullah; Zar Wali; Ustadh Usama Mahmood; Ousama Mahmood*

Activities:

Osama Mehmood is the U.S.-designated emir of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). Given Mehmood’s leadership role in AQIS, the U.S. Department of State designated Mehmood as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on November 30, 2022.

The EU added Mehmood to its sanctions list, and a few months later on November 30, the U.S. Department of State designated Mehmood as a SDGT

Ayman al-Zawahiri announced the establishment of AQIS in September 2014 through a video released by al-Qaeda’s official media arm, As-Sahab. Asim Umar was introduced as the AQIS emir, with Usama Mahmood as its spokesperson.

On September 23, 2019, the United States launched a joint operation with the Afghan military, carrying out a raid in Musa Qala, southern Afghanistan. On October 8, Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) confirmed that along with Umar, six other militants were killed during the operation. At some point shortly after Umar’s death, Mehmood was named the new leader of the terror group.

AQIS scholars claim that under the role of emir, Mehmood has been in charge of strengthening al-Qaeda’s network in South Asia. In particular, Mehmood has stressed the importance of cooperating with and supporting the Kashmir-based, al-Qaeda-aligned Ansar Ghazwa-tul Hind to strengthen the al-Qaeda brand throughout the region.

At some point after being named emir, Mehmood relocated to Afghanistan where he reportedly continues to direct AQIS activities. Given Mehmood’s leadership position in AQIS, on February 21, 2022, the EU added Mehmood to its sanctions list, and a few months later on November 30, the U.S. Department of State designated Mehmood as a SDGT.