ISIS still ‘a threat’

ISIS still ‘a threat’ in Syria, says Merkel

‘We remain a long way from peace in Syria.’

By GALAXY HENRY

Islamic State has not "disappeared" in Syria, Angela Merkel said Friday, contradicting comments from Donald Trump earlier in the week.

The German chancellor, speaking at the inauguration of the Berlin headquarters of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency BND, said that while ISIS has "luckily been driven out of its territory," the group has not entirely "disappeared" from Syria, Reuters reported.

ISIS "is transforming into an asymmetrical warfare force. And this, of course, is a threat," she said.

Her comments contradict U.S. President Trump's announcement of the group's impending defeat at a State Department meeting on Wednesday, during which he also revealed his intention to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria by the end of April.

The German chancellor listed monitoring the situation in Syria as main priority for the BND, as well as tracking cybersecurity threats and the use of fake news to sabotage democratic elections.

"We remain a long way from peace in Syria," she said.