Daesh still posing threat despite budget crisis: UN

(PressTV)The United Nations has warned that the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group continues to pose a threat despite reports of a drop in the outfit’s revenue and its waning ability to attract new recruits.

According to a new UN report published on Monday, the terrorist group is “militarily on the defensive in several regions, notably in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria," and is facing a drop in revenue from oil and extortion.

The report said the terrorist group’s finances are on a decline, forcing them to operate on a “crisis budget.”

It further noted that the flow of foreign militants to Iraq and Syria had seen a considerable decline due to the "diminished attractiveness" of the Takfiri group.

The world body called for greater vigilance against Daesh bids to find new revenue sources, expressing concerns that journalists and aid workers traveling to areas retaken from the terrorist group could be targets for kidnapping.

Daesh communication and recruitment "are increasingly moving towards more covert methods, such as the use of the dark web, encryption and messengers," said the report.

"The group continues to encourage its followers and sympathizers outside conflict zones to perpetrate attacks," it added.

Daesh began its campaign of terror in northern and western Iraq in 2014, when it overran large swathes of land in the Arab country. The terrorist group is also active in neighboring Syria while it has been seeking to gain a foothold in other countries, including Afghanistan and Libya. 

The Takfiri terrorists have suffered major setbacks over the past few months as the Syrian and Iraqi army forces have managed to liberate several strategic areas from the grip of the extremists.