Team Obama cries success.
ISIS is as strong as ever in Syria despite year-long US-led bombing campaign and it could take a DECADE to drive them out of strongholds, claims CIA
No impact: The CIA claims the bombings, which have cost billions, have prevented the collapse of Iraq, but the organisation is fundamentally no weaker than it was before
- CIA estimates there are 20,000-30,000 fighters – the same as last August
- 10,000 have been killed but ISIS replenish their ranks with foreign fighters
- Bombings weakened Raqqa but it could take a decade to defeat them
- Well-funded organisation clears $500million (£320million) in oil sales
A year-long bombing campaign in Syria has had virtually no impact on ISIS numbers, which remain consistently between 20,000 and 30,000, according to the CIA.
The U.S. agency claims the bombings, which have cost billions, have prevented the collapse of Iraq, but the organisation is fundamentally no weaker than it was before.
It’s believed more than 10,000 people have been killed but the organisation is able to constantly replenish its ranks with foreign fighters.
