The number of fighters in the Daesh's army largely "remains the same" as it did a year ago, a US official briefed on the latest intelligence estimate tells Fox News.

Officially, Daesh is estimated to have between 20,000 and 25,000 fighters based on the new intelligence estimate. A year ago, Daesh was estimated to have between 19,000 and 31,000 fighters.

The new estimate means that despite more than 10,000 US-led coalition airstrikes against Daesh starting in August 2014, Daesh largely has maintained the size of its force – due in part to an emerging practice of "forced conscription” and an influx of new members, including foreign fighters flocking to Daesh self-declared caliphate.

Source: MENA