Ministers meet in Morocco to discuss ongoing threat from IS

By TARIK EL BARAKAH
Associated Press

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Members of the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group are meeting in Morocco to discuss the campaign. The meeting Wednesday is a reminder of the persistent threat from the extremist group despite the overwhelming preoccupation with Russia’s war on Ukraine. U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland is co-chairing with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita the meeting of senior officials from the 8-year-old, 83-member bloc. The group aims to reaffirm their shared determination to continue fighting IS. IS at the height of its power controlled more than 40,000 square miles (103,600 square kilometers) stretching from Syria to Iraq and ruled over 8 million people.