US General: Islamic State Afghan Affiliate Closer to Attacking Western Targets – By Jeff Seldin (VOA News) / Mar 16 2023
WASHINGTON — One of the Islamic State terror group’s most dangerous affiliates has its sights set on the West and could launch an attack before the year is out, according to a top U.S. military official.
Despite sporadic skirmishes between Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban and Islamic State’s Afghan affiliate, known as IS-Khorasan or ISIS-K, the terror group is closer to taking its fight beyond Afghanistan’s borders, U.S. Central Command’s General Michael Kurilla told lawmakers on Thursday.
“They can do external operations against U.S. or Western interests abroad in under six months with little to no warning,” Kurilla said.
The CENTCOM commander said there was a “higher probability” that IS-Khorasan operatives would target Western or U.S. interests in Asia or Europe, noting it would be “much harder” for them to carry out an attack against the U.S. homeland.
