The director of the National Counterterrorism Center will step down next month, Biden administration officials said on Wednesday. The director, Christine S. Abizaid, has served three years as the country’s top counterterrorism official. In recent years, a resurgent China and Russia, as well as the wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, have replaced counterterrorism as the country’s main national security priorities. The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, ISIS Khorasan, dramatically demonstrated its expanding reach earlier this year, conducting deadly attacks in Iran and Russia. In addition to supporting Hamas in Gaza, Iran backs extremist groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

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Persons: Christine S, Abizaid, Al Qaeda Organizations: National Counterterrorism Center, Biden, Islamic State, ISIS Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine, Gaza, Doha, Qatar, Israel, State, Iraq, Syria, Africa, Afghanistan, ISIS Khorasan, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen