ISIS can muster 20,000 to 31,500 fighters, triple previous estimates: CIA STRINGER/REUTERS Militant Islamist fighters wave ISIS flags from vehicles as they take part in a parade in Syria’s northern Raqqa province on June 30. Uncredited/AP The Raqqa Media Center of the Islamic State group released this photo showing ISIS fighters beside a missile in Raqqa, Syria. STRINGER/REUTERS A militant Islamist waves a flag in support of the barbaric Islamic State. REUTERS TV/REUTERS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is thought to be the Islamic State’s reclusive leader. Previous Next Enlarge The CIA estimates that ISIS has more than three times the number of fighters it previously thought. The Islamic State can call upon between 20,000 and 31,500 terrorists throughout Iraq and Syria, according to a spokesman for the intelligence agency. This new total reflects an increase in members because of stronger recruitment since June following battlefield successes and the declaration of a caliphate, greater battlefield activity and additional intelligence, the spokesman told CNN. Experts used to think the number of fighters for the jihadist group, whose savagery has been widely condemned, topped out at 10,000. The CIA assessment’s new figure was revealed on the 13th anniversary of 9/11 — a day after President Obama outlined his plan to dismantle and ultimately destroy ISIS [...] newsnyork/isis-can-muster-20000-to-31500-fighters-triple-previous-estimates-cia/
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 00:01:21 +0000
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