A former U.S. military commander has warned that ISIS harbors a strong desire to attack the United States and other foreign powers, labeling it a growing threat. In an interview with ABC News, retired General Frank McKenzie, the former commander of U.S. Central Command, stated that ISIS’s threats to attack should be taken seriously and that they are likely to attempt such attacks.
McKenzie highlighted the increasing threat, pointing specifically to the dangers posed by the ISIS Khorasan group after the larger organization claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack near Moscow last month. The group also claimed responsibility for a major bombing in Iran in January.
With the U.S. forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, McKenzie expressed concerns that ISIS is growing in strength, suggesting that further attempts of similar nature against the U.S., its partners, and other countries should be anticipated. He described such developments as inevitable.
McKenzie’s upcoming book, “Melting Point,” discusses his leadership period of U.S. forces in the Middle East, including the withdrawal from Afghanistan. He suggested that while the U.S. maintains a significant military presence in Iraq and Syria to counter extremists, a small U.S. force should have remained in Afghanistan instead of a complete withdrawal in August 2021, marking the end of America’s longest war.
CNN reported this week that ISIS is targeting America and Europe following the recent terrorist attack in Moscow, signaling a shift of global attention back to ISIS amidst other global concerns like the war in Ukraine, Gaza, and the upcoming U.S. elections. The Moscow attack, targeting a concert hall near the Russian capital, reminded the world that the threat of terrorism and the ambitions of ISIS Khorasan extend beyond their camps in the Afghan mountains.
The recent Moscow concert hall attack, claimed by ISIS-K, marks a significant and deadly resurgence of the group’s activities outside its traditional strongholds. On March 23, 2024, gunmen opened fire and detonated explosives at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, killing at least 115 people and injuring 187. This attack, one of the worst Russia has seen in two decades, was claimed by ISIS through its Amaq news agency. The claim highlighted the gunmen’s escape and the massive destruction caused before they withdrew .
This event came a day after the fifth anniversary of ISIS’s territorial defeat in Syria, underlining the group’s enduring threat and capability to orchestrate devastating attacks far from its base. The United States has confirmed the accuracy of ISIS-K’s claim for this attack, emphasizing the group’s strategic shift to target countries playing significant roles in the Middle East and Central Asia’s geopolitical landscape.
