Paris Attacks May Signify Strategy Shift for ISIS
The Paris attacks on Friday may signify a shift in strategy for the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by setting its focus on the West instead of just the Middle East.
ISIS had earlier claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, and if the group's claim proves to be true, it would signify a change in its strategy. The coordinated attacks have sparked fears worldwide that the terror group is now targeting Western nations, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The Paris attacks came after ISIS lost some of their territory to Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, and the bombings in Beirut and Lebanon. It also came two weeks after ISIS claimed responsibility for the downed Russian passenger plane in Egypt. The militant group was also targeted by air strikes of Russia and the U.S.-led coalition, The New York Times reports.
"If this was indeed directed by ISIS Central, it represents a major change from an earlier focus on state-building," WSJ quotes Brookings Institution's radical Islam expert Williams McCants. "They have made a decision that they will punish anyone who stands in the way of the expansion of their state."
In a statement issued by ISIS, the group warned that France and all the countries supporting it will continue to be their top targets on their hit list. The extremist group also said the Paris attacks are just the first moves against the said nation, the report relays.
Hassan Hassan, a fellow from the Royal Institute of Internal Affairs in London, said the deadly attacks on Western civilians show that the U.S. policy that uses limited efforts to "contain" ISIS is not working. There needs to be a move to defeat ISIS instead of just restraining it, said Hassan.
Many experts think ISIS is more dangerous than Al Qaeda. The latter conducts attacks to elevate its political agenda, but it does not randomly target civilians. ISIS, on the other hand, is more indiscriminate with its attacks.
