According to United Nations (UN) estimates, the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia has more than 10,000 active fighters in Syria and Iraq. They moved back and forth between the two countries in small cells, said the head of the United Nations Office on Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, at a meeting yesterday (local time).
The number of IS attacks in 2020 “increased significantly” in comparison to last year in both countries. There have also been more attacks by individual and smaller groups.
IS and other terrorist groups attempted to exploit the widespread harm, socio-economic and political impact of the coronavirus pandemic, warned Voronkov. The UN expert called on the international community to strengthen collective action and the fight against terrorism during and after the pandemic.
Around 3,500 ISIS members in West Africa
„The global threat from IS is likely to increase if the international community does not meet this challenge,“ said Voronkov, calling on member states to take decisive action on humanitarian aid, human rights and security in the region.
The UN expert estimated the number of ISIS members in West Africa at around 3,500. The main threat in Europe was terrorist radicalization from the Internet. Concerns were currently about the release of terrorist prisoners and links. In addition, the IS is losing priority for the secret services of some European countries due to an increase in violent right-wing extremism.
