The Islamic State has once again resurfaced in Syria, Middle East with their sleeper cells reportedly carrying out several attacks in the eastern and central regions of the country.
Beginning on Sunday, the Islamic State began carrying out a number of hit-and-run attacks against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and National Defense Forces (NDF), with jihadist group claiming responsibility of the attacks against the government troops.
At one point during their attacks, the Islamic State even managed to hold some ground along the Deir Ezzor-Homs administrative border before retreating back into the desert. It is expected with security forces being overstretched, the Islamic State would continue their campaign last night, when they conducted ambushes in the Badiya Al-Mayadeen and Albukamal areas.
ISIS has been able to exploit the ongoing coronavirus outbreaks in both Iraq and Syria to launch a series of attacks against the aforementioned countries’ armies.
During this global pandemic crisis ISIS, Al-Qaeda are expected to utilize this chaos and overstretched security forces as opportunity to mobilize.
Already, with domestic security efforts down, some Islamist extremists are encouraging followers to learn about Islam and increase attacks.
Warning
Strategic Intelligence security analysts warns that the current pandemic threatens the global solidarity that is key to fighting extremists.
It’s almost certain that Coronavirus pandemic will cause crisis, handicap domestic security efforts and international counter-terrorism cooperation, allowing the Islamist militants to better prepare spectacular terror attacks.
For example, ISIS in its latest commentary in its Al-Naba newsletter in mid-March, urged its followers to show no mercy and launch attacks in this time of Coronavirus crisis.
There are signs elsewhere that the U.S., British and other militaries are pulling back because of the lethal virus, leaving a possible opening for the extremist groups.
There will be high risk in Africa’s hot spots of the Sahel, the Lake Chad region and Somalia if counterterrorism partners begin exiting from these regions as Coronavirus continue to spread.
