The Facts
On Thursday, the Islamic State group (IS) confirmed the death of its leader, Abu Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi, and named Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as his successor.
Abu Hussein al-Husseini al-Quraishi took over as group leader in November 2022 after his predecessor was killed in Syria.
The Spin
Narrative A
While it no longer controls vast areas of Iraq and Syria, IS remains a threat and continues terrorizing volatile parts of the Middle East. The group still plans to free significant numbers of its troops from Syrian prisons. The danger it poses shouldn't be underestimated.
Narrative B
Today, IS has few fighters across Iraq and Syria and cannot mount large-scale attacks in either country. Instead, its threat is overshadowed by that of its franchise affiliates in Afghanistan and parts of Africa. Refocusing on the new threat area is needed.
