Islamic State group says Ukraine war is 'opportunity' to attack Europe and Israel while 'crusaders fight each other'

The Islamic State group announced a new "global offensive" and called on supporters to strike Israel and Europe amid distractions on the war in Ukraine.

Abu-Omar al-Muhajir, the spokesperson for the group, said Russia's invasion of Ukraine was an "opportunity" for its supporters to carry out terrorist attacks as "the crusaders are fighting each other", The Times reported.

⚠️ According to different media, the spokesman for the Islamic State terrorist group has called on his followers to carry out attacks in Europe taking advantage of the war in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/nZnlts6CZp

— Danyel Garden (@DanyelGarden) April 18, 2022

The group wants to avenge the death of its leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi who died in February during a US operation in Syria.

"We announce, relying on God, a blessed campaign to take revenge," al-Muhajir said in an audio message on Telegram. "Fight them all [the group’s enemies] and Allah will answer and punish them at your hands."

The call comes weeks after sympathisers of the extremist group carried out deadly attacks in Israel last month, killing six people.

Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi had been chosen to succeed former leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi to continue its terrorist attacks in the Middle East and around the world.

He reportedly blew himself in February up to avoid capture by US special forces during an operation in Syria.

His death was another devastating blow to IS, just two years after the group lost its longtime leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a similar raid in 2019.

Supporters of the IS have carried out dozens of attacks around the world over the past few years.

Earlier this month, IS sympathiser Ali Harbi Ali was sentenced to life in prison in the UK for murdering British Member of Parliament David Amess on October 2021.