TERRORISM
“Defeated” Islamic State preparing for comeback
January 30, 2019 - Despite President Donald Trump’s claim that so-called Islamic State has been defeated, the militant organisation has yet to be finished off in Iraq and Syria, and affiliated groups remain a threat around the world.
Even though IS has lost virtually all of its former territory, the group is thought capable of sustaining an insurgency in Iraq and Syria as well as sporadic terrorist attacks abroad for years.
Estimates of IS strength range from several thousand to 30,000 fighters. The organisation’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and several top deputies are believed to be still alive, according to Bloomberg News.