The US director of national intelligence says ISIL remains a threat despite its recent defeats in Syria and Iraq.
Dan Coats told a gathering of world leaders, diplomats and defence officials at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that defeating the extremist group was like "killing an octopus".
He said: "It's more than just a terrorist organisation. It is an ideology and perhaps a theology, and the combination of ideology and theology outlasts defeats on the battlefield."
The director admitted it was not currently clear whether "we've done enough to keep ISIS from reconstituting, or if we're just in a moment of pause while they're regrouping".
Mr Coats said the current assessment is it "will remain a threat".
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Read more:
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French forces kill at least 10 extremists in Mali: military sources
US envoy says fight against ISIL is not over
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
