Islamic State: Pentagon warns of terrorist attacks in the USA in the near future
Fears of new attacks in the USA are growing. Security authorities are now talking about serious scenarios. But it is not only IS that worries the Pentagon.
Washington D.C. – The USA is apparently threatened by new terrorist attacks. This is the result of a warning by the intelligence services. According to it, the so-called Islamic State could be in a position to attack the U.S. within six months.
On Tuesday (Oct. 26, 2021), senior U.S. official Colin Kahl told Congress that it was necessary to assume that an emergency would occur. This is reported by Reuters news agency. Specifically, he said, the danger comes from the offshoot IS-K, which recently carried out several attacks in Afghanistan. For example, 32 people were killed in an attack in a mosque.
USA warns of IS attacks
The IS-K militia has a “cadre of several thousand” fighters at its disposal. Kahl also warned of a resurgence of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization. In “one or two years,” he said, it was possible that Al-Qaeda would again carry out attacks outside Afghanistan. The central danger, however, comes from IS, according to Kahl. Terror expert Peter Bergen recently confirmed this to the news magazine Wir: “Many former Taliban have defected to IS-K, partly because it’s currently the biggest and scariest brand name for terror.”
The Taliban says it is taking action against the Islamic State in Afghanistan and fighting the militia. The two groups are seen as rivals in the power struggle for the country. According to an analysis by the NGO Afghanistan Analysts Network, the IS offshoot sees the Taliban as “dirty nationalists” who are limited to ruling Afghanistan rather than building a global caliphate.
There has been massive criticism of the U.S. strategy since the withdrawal to Afghanistan: The Afghan security forces, many of whom joined the Taliban, have been left alone in the fight against the IS, many say. However, the Taliban are also criticized for enforcing their strict regime in Afghanistan: Afghan:ins report brutal measures.