At least 20 Syrian soldiers killed in ambush
PBS NewsHourAUG 2023
IS is trying to assert that it is still relevant and still capable of launching deadly attacks like this one. The group's poisonous ideology, alongside the Syrian government's inability to effectively combat the group in the desert, has led to a potential resurgence as it continues to launch major attacks in Syria.
While IS is still able to cause damage through heinous attacks like this one, the reality is that today, IS has few fighters across Iraq and Syria and has little capacity for a resurgence in the area. Instead, its threat is overshadowed by that of its franchise affiliates in Africa and parts of Central Asia. Refocusing on the new threat area is needed.