US: ISIS significantly degraded
Islamic State (ISIS) capabilities are "significantly degraded" and the group operates with 6,000 to 10,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, down from 18,000 from two years ago, the Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) report to the United States Congress on Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) revealed on Tuesday.
There was a "steady removal of ISIS leaders" in the region, but the militants still "spread its ideology and conduct attacks," mostly by trying to free their fighters currently in detention and by "indoctrinating and recruiting children at the al-Hol displaced persons camp in Syria."
In addition, American officials claimed in the report that Turkey, Iran, Russia, and the Syrian government "continued to impact" the campaign by the US-led coalition to "defeat" ISIS.