The United States on Wednesday expressed concern by the rise of violent extremism in Iraq, as the past four months have reportedly been among the bloodiest since 2008, with nearly 3,000 people killed and over 7,000 injured. "We remain deeply concerned about the rise of violent extremism and how it further endangers the future of Iraq and all of Syria's neighbors," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters. "The government of Iraq has itself also expressed its deep concern about the level of violence in Syria and violent extremist elements who might seek to capitalize on a situation in Syria to foment violence in Iraq," Harf added. "The vast majorities of Iraqi people continue to reject this violence, [and] we are encouraged that many political and religious leaders have taken a strong stance against this violence and that we have continued to explore ways to address these ongoing security issues going forward," Harf said.
