UN counterterrorism experts warn that the Islamic State (IS) is capitalizing on instability in Africa and Syria, leveraging advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and social media to amplify its global threat. The group, defeated in Iraq in 2017 but still active through sleeper cells, poses significant dangers in Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Europe, experts told a UN Security Council meeting Wednesday.

In Africa’s Sahel region—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—IS has surged, producing prolific terrorist propaganda and attracting regional foreign fighters. Arrests in Libya exposed logistics and financing networks linked to IS in the Sahel. In Somalia, despite a large-scale attack being thwarted, with 200 IS fighters killed and 150 arrested, the group maintains robust support networks. In the Lake Chad Basin, IS gains foreign support, including money, drones, and expertise in improvised explosives, fueling its operations.

In the Middle East, IS is resurging in Syria’s Badia desert, exploiting security gaps to conduct covert operations and incite sectarian tensions. In Afghanistan, the IS-Khorasan affiliate targets civilians and minorities, posing a severe threat to Central Asia and beyond through aggressive online propaganda and recruitment campaigns.

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Experts highlighted IS’s use of digital platforms—social media, messaging apps, and crowdfunding—for recruitment and fundraising. “AI amplifies their reach, but it also offers states tools to detect and disrupt terrorism,” said Natalia Gherman, head of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee’s executive directorate. Africa accounts for over half of global terrorism fatalities, underscoring the urgency of innovative responses.

Elisa De Anda Madrazo of the Financial Action Task Force noted the growing abuse of digital platforms for terrorist financing, signaling a shift in IS tactics. As the group adapts to exploit regional instabilities, the UN urges global cooperation to counter its evolving technological strategies.

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