On February 11, 2022, the Center for National Interest published an article written by DKI APCSS professor Dr. Sam Mullins. 

In his article titled, “Turkey is Barely Keeping a Lid on the Islamic State,” he draws attention to the rising presence of the Islamic State in Turkey as an issue of international importance. According to Dr. Mullins, “while the West has been fixated on emerging and reemerging threats in far-off places… a much more sophisticated and immediate danger has been simmering away in Turkey.” 

“If you pay attention to the news and some of the reporting that comes out of Turkey, the pace of counter-terrorism activity that’s happening there is really incredible,” he says. “It really demonstrates the level of threat that we are seeing potentially in that country.” For Dr. Mullins, with an election season in Turkey looming next year, the issue could face further marginalization.  

“If you look at what [the Islamic state] did in 2015 in the last general elections that was a really high tempo of activity,” he says. “There is a danger that they can exploit that situation again.” 

“With ISIS trying to make a comeback, the closest place that you are is the easiest place to hit. Right now, I think Turkey is in the immediate vicinity.”   

At DKI APCSS, Dr. Mullins provides subject matter expertise on Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism. He has published numerous papers and is the author of two books: ‘Home-Grown’ Jihad: Understanding Islamist Terrorism in the US and UK, and Jihadist Infiltration of Migrant Flows to Europe: Perpetrators, Modus Operandi and Policy Implications. 

Read the full article here: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/turkey-barely-keeping-lid-islamic-state-200534

The views expressed in the above referenced article are the views of the author as a subject matter expert and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or its components. 

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