PHOTO: US State Department

Amid growing concerns over Islamic State in Iraq and Levant's (ISIL) growing influence in the region after pamphlets were found near the site of an attack on a bus in Karachi, the US State Department said on Thursday that connections between the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria and Pakistan or South Asia rhetorical.



During the daily press briefing, Press Office Director Jeff Rathke was asked about concerns regarding ISIL's capabilities.



“In general terms, we certainly are concerned about the possibility of ISIL influence spreading."



On an IS affiliate claiming responsibility for Wednesday's attacks, Rathke said that so far they did not believe there was any operational linkage between groups.



"Up until now, our estimation has been that these are primarily of a rhetorical nature, not of an operational linkage between ISIL in Iraq and Syria and Pakistan or South Asia.”



He refused to comment on the details of the attack as an investigation is underway led by the Pakistani authorities.