On CBS News’ Monday edition of “Prime Time,” Michael Morell, a CBS News senior national security contributor who served as CIA deputy director and deputy director under President Barack Obama, said the ISIS-K terrorist group is “very dangerous.” “It is safe and competent.” I would say that ISIS-K is much stronger today than it was when we left Afghanistan. [2021]”
Host John Dickerson said, “What should viewers think about ISIS-K and ISIS and how it’s evolved and morphed — maybe some of the people who checked in at the end saw it in Iraq.” So please help me understand where ISIS is and where ISIS-K fits in.”
Morel said, “When ISIS became a significant group in Iraq and Syria in 2013 and 2014, they influenced groups in other parts of the world. And one of those places was Afghanistan. So the remnants of the Taliban and the remnants of the Pakistani terrorist group came together as ISIS-K.”
Morel went on to say that the group is “I think the strongest ISIS group in the world right now. They’re very capable. They carried out an attack in Iran in early January, and this attack is now very much It’s large and very powerful. I think it’s fair to say that ISIS-K is much stronger today than it was when we left Afghanistan. [2021]”
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