IS seeking comeback in Syria and beyond

Despite President Donald Trump’s claim that so-called Islamic State has been defeated, the militant group remains a threat around the world

IS / affiliate active presence

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1 Syria and Iraq After losing virtually all of its former territory, IS has turned to insurgency tactics, with more than 1,200 attacks launched in first 10 months of 2018

Group estimated to have up to 30,000 fighters scattered across region. Its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (above), and several top deputies thought to remain alive

Aftermath of IS bomb attack in Syria’s Hasakeh province, Jan 21, 2019

2 Afghanistan: IS conducts attacks on security forces and civilians. UN says civilian casualities reached record high in first half of 2018, with 52 percent attributed to IS

3 Egypt: Sinai-based affiliate capable of mounting major attacks, such as 2015 bombing of Russian airliner that killed 224 people

4 Libya: Affiliate active in southern desert, tied to terror attacks in Berlin in 2016 and Manchester in 2017. Group bolstered by foreign volunteers who left Syria and Iraq

5 Philippines: Muslim insurgents in Mindanao region have pledged allegiance to IS – group claims responsibility for Jan 27, 2019 bombing of Jolo island cathedral

6 Sahel: Islamic State in Greater Sahara has staged attacks in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Suspected of 2017 ambush in Niger which killed four U.S. and four Nigerian soldiers

7 Yemen: Affiliate has attacked both sides fighting civil war

8 Others: Allied group Boko Haram in Nigeria. Less active affiliates in Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Russia’s Caucasus region



Source: Bloomberg Pictures: AP, Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS