Experts Warn of Islamic State’s Resurgence Amid Global Surge in Violence

Security experts are sounding alarm over what appears to be a recent resurgence of the Islamic State (IS) group and its affiliates, citing a sharp rise in militant activity across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

According to Euronews, the renewed activity has prompted dozens of arrests and investigations. Turkish authorities, for example, recently detained at least 161 suspected IS members operating across nearly half of Turkey’s 81 provinces, accusing them of providing financial support to the group. The mass arrests highlight concerns that IS is expanding beyond its core areas of operation.

Euronews reports that in the past three months, IS-linked and IS-affiliated cells have been behind attacks causing over 200 deaths, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Notable incidents include massacres in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raids in Mozambique, and multi-state cross-border violence involving IS branches like ISWAP (West Africa Province).

Experts say IS may no longer control large territory as it did between 2014–2017, but its decentralised structure appears more adaptive and dangerous — exploiting security vacuums, porous borders, and conflict zones. The group uses guerrilla tactics, sleeper cells, and leveraging online propaganda, especially to attract young people in unstable areas.

The shift in IS strategy — from overt territorial control to fragmented yet lethal networks — is seen as a serious threat. Analysts warn that unless regional and international counterterrorism efforts adapt to these changes, including better intelligence-sharing and governance in conflict-affected states, IS could widen influence and inflict greater harm.