Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Rebuilt Islamic State Growing 'More Brazen' in Syria, Iraq

Jeff Seldin

   Fighters and followers of the Islamic State, undaunted by the collapse
   of the terror group's self-declared caliphate in Syria and Iraq, are
   growing bolder and more dangerous, according to recent assessments by
   U.S. counterterrorism officials.

   The new appraisals attribute the change less to a leap in IS
   capabilities than to gradual progress due to long-term planning, which
   has masked the severity of the threat.

   "ISIS has been working to rebuild its operational capacity," a U.S.
   counterterrorism official told VOA, using another acronym for the
   terror group. "They've made incremental, localized improvements to
   their operating capacity in primarily eastern Syria over the course of
   several months."

   And the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said in many
   ways, that planning is starting to pay off.

   "The group has been more assertive in pockets of Syria in recent weeks
   as these efforts have progressed, conducting more brazen attacks
   against Syrian security forces, including regime forces and Syrian
   Kurdish forces," the official said.

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