Front Burner

Why is ISIS seeing a resurgence?

In recent months, ISIS, the terror group, has been back in the headlines after a series of attacks and foiled plots, including one in Toronto. Why – after a period of relative calm – are we seeing this resurgence?
Iraqi security forces hold an Islamist State flag near the bodies of dead members of the Islamic State in the outskirt of Ramadi December 23, 2014. Picture taken December 23, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer (IRAQ - Tags: CONFLICT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) TEMPLATE OUT (Reuters)

The arrest of a father and son north of Toronto accused of being in the late stages of planning an attack for the benefit of the Islamic State. A cancelled stop in Vienna on Taylor Swift's Eras tour after the threat of an attack with the main suspect allegedly inspired by ISIS. A deadly attack in March on a Moscow theatre leaving over 100 dead, allegedly committed by members of an ISIS affiliate. 

While the Sunni Muslim militant organization hasn't been in the headlines regularly since 2018, and was actually declared defeated by former U.S President Donald Trump in 2019, it appears to be having a resurgence. Clara Broekaert, research fellow at The Soufan Center, takes us through what ISIS has been up to in recent years and why they are a growing threat again. 

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