U.N. Experts: Islamic State Terrorists Still Pose World Threat

U.N. experts say the Islamic State terrorist group still poses “a significant and evolving threat around the world” despite recent setbacks in Iraq, Syria and the southern Philippines that forced the terrorists to relinquish strongholds.

The report to the Security Council circulated Tuesday said IS “has lost its focus on conquering and holding territory” but is continuing “to give prominence to external attacks.”

The experts said the terrorist group is now organized “as a global network” with “less operational control over its affiliates” and some members reportedly willing to work with al-Qaida networks “to support one another’s attacks.”

As a result, the fight against IS terrorists is entering a new phase, with more focus on “less visible networks of individuals and cells acting with a degree of autonomy.”