Voice of America News reports: “U.S. forces in the Middle East are seeing new reasons to worry about the Islamic State terror group, which appears to be taking advantage of some newfound stability to wreak havoc in parts of Iraq and Syria.

The group, also known as IS or ISIS, claimed 153 attacks across both countries between January and June of this year, according to a statement Wednesday from U.S. Central Command.

‘ISIS is on pace to more than double the total number of attacks they claimed in 2023,’ it said, warning, ‘The increase in attacks indicates ISIS is attempting to reconstitute following several years of decreased capability.’

The latest CENTCOM assessment also suggested that IS operatives have started feeling secure enough and confident enough to begin planning attacks beyond the borders of Syria and Iraq.

‘We continue to focus our efforts on specifically targeting those members of ISIS who are seeking to conduct external operations,’ according to CENTCOM’s commander, General Michael Erik Kurilla…”