Islamic State claims 800 lives as it expands terror operations beyond Syria and Iraq

The Islamic State group has dramatically expanded its theatre of operations from its hub in Syria and Iraq, executing or inspiring a series of attacks across three continents that claimed more than 800 lives this year.

The mayhem created by those attacks, including the downing of a Russian airliner and a killing spree in the heart of Paris, attracts the kind of attention that the extremist group thrives on.

IS, which has recently lost territory to US-backed forces in Syria and Iraq, seeks to boost its credentials with spectacular acts of violence that attract recruits.