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U.S. Central Intelligence Agency publicizes number of IS members

12 September 2014 14:03 (UTC +04:00)

Baku – APA. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has publicized the estimated number of IS members.

CIA spokesperson Ryan Trapani says Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria now have about 20,000 to 31,500 fighters on the ground, much higher than a previous estimate of 10,000, APA reports quoting Al Jazeera

"CIA assesses the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant can muster between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters across Iraq and Syria, based on a new review of all-source intelligence reports from May to August," he said.

Senior US officials have voiced concern at the presence of foreign fighters among the group who hold Western passports, potentially enabling them to return from the battlefield prepared to carry out terror attacks in Europe or the US.