U.N. counterterrorism chief sounds alarm on ISIS in Africa

The Islamic State extremist group is escalating its threat level amid the political unrest in West Africa and the Sahel, and it remains focused on conducting attacks abroad.

A senior U.N. counterterrorism official informed the Security Council on Thursday that a large area of Africa might come under the influence of the Islamic State and related terrorist groups.

In a regular briefing to the council, Vladimir Voronkov, the…