A new group in Iraq called White Flag is coming under close scrutiny by U.S. intelligence agencies amid concerns the terrorist organization could become a regional successor to the Islamic State.
White Flag is an armed group operating in areas of northwestern and central Iraq since late last year and appears to be a union of Kurdish terrorists and former ISIS fighters, according to U.S. defense and military officials.
“It’s kind of a hodge-podge of people and a white flag with a lion on it is their emblem,” said a military official familiar with the region.
Little is known about the new organization and some reports from the region say White Flag has adopted the Islamic State jihadist ideology.