Today, a terror attack in Istanbul left 36 people and 3 suicide bombers dead. Hundreds are wounded. The airport is closed. As of this writing, there has been no claim of responsibility.

However, most experts, including U.S. intelligence, say this attack has the hallmarks of ISIS. It was well-coordinated; suicide bombers were armed with AK-47s; and a hard target was symbolically chosen.

What We Know

Earlier, ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani urged anyone to launch attacks during Ramadan.

This is the 3rd attack this year in Istanbul allegedly led by ISIS.

In previous attacks, suicide bombers chose to target foreign tourists in Istanbul, but the attacks in the airport also hurt Turkish citizens, who are Muslims.

Shockingly, the attack took place during the last ten days of Ramadan which is considered to be the most sacred time for Muslims fasting and praying as they wait for the Night of Power, known as Lailut-al-Qadr.

What Experts Are Saying

American political candidates keep it simple. Donald Trump said it’s “bad…really bad.” Mrs. Clinton issued a statement, using ‘harsher’ language–we can’t let “radical jihadism” defeat the world, she announced today.

On CNN, Michael Weiss and my former boss, Philip Mudd, revealed the political truth. Syria is the cancer in the region that enables ISIS and other affiliated groups.

So long as Assad is in power, ISIS will live on.

Which likely explains why ISIS chose an easy target like the airport in Istanbul, despite its so-called security checks. And it will happen again because the five-year-civil war in Syria is ongoing, allowing ISIS and its supporters to capitalize on an insecure region–and a dictator that no one in the world is willing to confront.

What’s Next?

More attacks. More bloodshed. And more fear unless the world community finds a solution to the carnage in Syria and a counter-terrorism policy that actually works.