Islamic State attacks on track to double in Iraq and Syria compared to last year, US military says

The U.S. Central Command says that the Islamic State group is trying “to reconstitute” as the number of attacks in Syria and Iraq is on track to double those of the previous year. IS has claimed 153 attacks in both countries in the first six months of 2024, CENTCOM said in a statement Wednesday. According to a U.S. defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the group was behind 121 attacks in Syria and Iraq in 2023. The announcement comes just after the 10-year mark since the militant group declared its caliphate and attempted to enforce its extreme interpretation of Islam.