Overview

• U.N. counterterrorism officials report that IS exploits instability in Africa and Syria while remaining a significant threat to Afghanistan, Central Asia and Europe.
• Activity has resurged in the Sahel—Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—with West Africa now a prolific source of IS propaganda that draws mainly regional foreign fighters.
• IS-K in Afghanistan is described as one of the most serious threats to Central Asia and beyond, targeting civilians, minority groups and foreign nationals and using online campaigns to recruit and fundraise.
• Arrests in Libya have exposed logistics and financing networks tied to IS operations in the Sahel, underscoring the group’s transregional support systems.
• Officials warn of expanded use of AI, social media and digital platforms for propaganda and fundraising, and urge safe, voluntary repatriation from northeast Syria’s camps, with priority on children.