The activity of the international terrorist groups Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda banned in Russia is still high, despite the coronavirus pandemic. This was reported by FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, speaking at the opening of the IX Moscow Conference on International Security.
"The challenges to global stability that existed before the coronavirus pandemic, such as international terrorism and extremism, have not disappeared. The activity of armed groups of ISIS [formerly known as IS], al-Qaeda and related groups in the Middle East and the African continent is still high," he said.
According to him, terrorist fighters continue to penetrate into Afghanistan and Southeast Asia, where terrorist attacks continued last year. "In addition, the victims of terrorism and religious extremism have again become the victims of a number of European cities," the FSB director noted.
"Let's be frank - despite the measures taken of a counterterrorist nature, the international terrorist network manages to maintain its vitality and activity," the FSB director believes. He emphasized that the terrorist network is capable of rapid dispersal and redeployment of fighter formations in the areas of combat operations, still has sufficient resource support, actually does not have a shortage of weapons and ammunition, and uses high-tech means of attack, including drones. "This is, among other things, a consequence of the continued use by some states of radical Islamist groups in territorial conflict zones to achieve their own goals," Bortnikov added.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS