IS remains a global threat despite Iraq, Syria defeats

PARIS, Dec 19 (AFP): The year 2017 saw significant destruction to the Islamic State (IS), which lost almost all of its self-proclaimed "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria, but experts warn the group is adapting and continues to be a threat.

Within hours of the start of the year, an Uzbek who described himself as a "Caliphate Soldier" opened fire at a nightclub in Istanbul in Turkey, murdering 39 New Year's Eve revellers.

Through directly arming jihadists or by luring them with online propaganda, IS has committed or inspired dozens of deadly attacks, especially during the first half of the year, including in Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt, Somalia and Great Britain.

Among them was suicide bomber Salman Abedi, a young British man of Libyan origin, who killed 22 people-including many children-by blowing up a homemade bomb at the exit of an Ariana Grande pop concert in Manchester on May 22.