The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) may be moving toward an attempt to cause mass casualties through its attacks, rather than relying on inspiring singular “lone wolf” attempts in other countries, according to a CNN report.
In part because of a fierce competition with other terrorist networks, being able to kill opponents on a large scale would allow them to make a powerful showing, members of the intelligence community told the outlet Friday.
It is also a factor of an influx of untrained ISIS recruits, said Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, a military analyst for CNN.
“I think they’re taking a lot of the new recruits that don’t have time to train, who have not been brought up in their systems, and they’re using them to create the type of mass casualty which produces the media attention, which is exactly what they want, that shows they’re still powerful,” he said.
ISIS still claims about 20,000 to 30,000 fighters throughout Iraq and Syria — similar to levels before U.S.-led airstrikes on the group began.
While the coalition has killed scores of ISIS fighters, its ranks have been replenished with those lured by flashy recruitment videos and social media outreach.
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