IS still has 'thousands' of fighters, seeking comeback: US intel chief

The Islamic State group maintains a force of thousands of fighters who pose a potent threat in the Middle East as its leaders continue to encourage attacks on the West, a top US intelligence official warned Tuesday.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats added that the jihadists, who once held vast swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq but are now reduced to a shrinking enclave, would exploit any reduction in counter-terror pressure to stage a comeback.

President Donald Trump last month announced he was ordering a full withdrawal of the 2,000 US troops from Syria. Senior US officials have since given contradictory statements about US intentions, but the Pentagon said it had begun the withdrawal, although how long it would take remained uncertain.

"ISIS still commands thousands of fighters in Iraq and Syria, and it maintains eight branches, more than a dozen networks, and thousands of dispersed supporters around the world, despite significant leadership and territorial losses," Coats said in a new report to Congress, using an alternate name for the group.

"The group will exploit any reduction in CT pressure to strengthen its clandestine presence and accelerate rebuilding key capabilities, such as media production and external operations.

"ISIS very likely will continue to pursue external attacks from Iraq and Syria against regional and Western adversaries, including the United States."
Coats' report said IS was focusing on exploiting sectarian tensions in Iraq and Syria, adding it "probably realizes that controlling new territory is not sustainable in the near term."
On the subject of Al-Qaeda, the once mighty terror outfit responsible for the 9/11 attacks, the report said that while the group's leaders were encouraging attacks against the West including the US, most of its affiliates' "attacks to date have been small scale and limited to their regional areas."
"All have maintained a high pace of operations during the past year, despite setbacks in Yemen, and some have expanded their areas of influence."