(VOVworld) – The Islamic State’s recent global attacks have shown that the group is moving into a new phase of warfare, according to a report released by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday.

Militant Islamist fighters on a tank (Photo: Reuters)

According to the report, there is a high risk that well-prepared and centrally directed attacks on international civilian targets may become a more frequent occurrence. The Paris and Brussels assaults demonstrate the group's ability to mount complex, multi-wave attacks that were coordinated by foreign fighters returning from Syria with some direction from IS leaders. Ban said IS leaders are seeking to "elevate the role" of its affiliates to broaden its military campaign.

In the document, member countries reported a remarkable increase in number of fighters returning from Syria and Iraq, where IS has been under attack. The presence of Malaysian and Indonesian fighters in Syria and Iraq has raised concerns that Southeast Asia is also at risk of attacks. The global threats posed by IS remain high and complex.

The UN Security Council will work on this report at its June 8^th meeting.