According to confirmed sources of Yazidi activists and secret sources of the UN expert group, it turned out that only in Iraq and Syria there were from 5 to 7 thousand people still in the ranks of the terrorist group ISIS, as reported by the Associated Press (AP) with reference to the report of UN experts.

"Yazidi activists and UN experts unanimously declare that despite the counter-terrorism operations against ISIS, the group still has 5-7 thousand people in Iraq and Syria, most of them are militants. However, ISIS deliberately reduced the intensity of attacks in order to focus on recruiting new fighters and regrouping", the agency notes.

According to Yazidi activists, the ISIS cells are still active and dangerous, they are in standby mode and in due time they will start attacking peaceful towns and villages again.

It follows from the report to the UN Security Council that despite the losses of ISIS and the reduction of its activity in Iraq and Syria, the situation will remain dynamic, and the terrorists can seriously strengthen their positions again.

Experts note that in the north-east of Syria, about 11 thousand suspected ISIS militants are in custody, they are being held at the facilities of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF), led by Kurds. Also in this region are the refugee camps "Rosh" and "Al-Khol", where, according to experts, there are about 55 thousand radical extremists associated with the IG or having family ties with members of the group. Two thirds of them are children, including 11.8 thousand people from Iraq, about 16 thousand Syrians and over 6.7 thousand people from more than 60 countries of the world. In turn, ISIS also has Yazidi women and children in slavery, and is recruiting children in the Al-Khol camp.

In addition to the camps in northeastern Syria, IS is trying to look for new fighters in neighboring countries, in disadvantaged communities. In the first half of 2023, the danger of ISIS was maximum in conflict zones.

Meanwhile, according to some estimates, IS-allied forces in the Sahel have begun to act more and more autonomously, have increased attacks in several areas of Mali, and to a lesser extent operate in Burkina Faso and Niger. Experts fear that terrorists may take advantage of the conflict in Sudan, which broke out in mid-April.

At the same time, ISIS has 4-6 thousand people, including fighters and their family members, in Afghanistan and now poses the greatest terrorist threat to this country and the region as a whole.

The report concludes that the situation in Iraq and Syria remains dynamic, and terrorists can seriously strengthen their positions again. It is important to continue to monitor the actions of ISIS and take measures to prevent the group from regrouping and resuming its attacks. The international community must also work to address the root causes of radicalization, such as poverty and lack of opportunities.

Dengê Êzdia