Jul 13, 2018:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44824619
Oct 17, 2017:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/world/middleeast/isis-syria-raqqa.html
Aug 17, 2017:
http://www.healthandwellnessresource.com/terrorist-attack-barcelona-spain-thirteen-people-killed/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/isis-suspects/
http://www.newsweek.com/end-isis-middle-east-more-attacks-barcelona-us-europe-652247
Jul 11, 2017:
Syrian Observatory says it has 'confirmed information' that Islamic State chief is dead | Reuters
Jul 9, 2017:
Iraqi Government Declares Mosul Liberated From Islamic State | Bloomberg News
Jun 30, 2017:
The capture of Mosul from ISIS is imminent, US-led coalition says | CNN
Jun 21, 2017:
Islamic State blows up historic Mosul mosque where it declared 'caliphate' | Reuters
Jun 13, 2017:
Islamic State calls for attacks in West, Russia, Middle East, Asia during Ramadan | Reuters
Jun 9, 2017:
Suicide bomb blast kills 20 in Musayyib market | Aljazeera
Jun 7, 2017:
In Tehran, Iran, militants attacked the Iranian parliament building. Just south of Tehran, two militants conducted an attack near the shrine of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Khomeini. At least 12 people were killed. The Islamic state claimed responsibility for the attacks. This was the first ever ISIS attack in Iran.
Islamist militants strike heart of Tehran, Iran blames Saudis | Reuters
Iran's Revolutionary Guards blame Saudis for Tehran attacks | CNN
Jun 6, 2017:
U.S.-Backed Push on Islamic State's Raqqa Stronghold Begins | Bloomberg
May 30, 2017:
In three separate attacks, two car bombs and a suicide bomber killed at least 35 people and injured over 100 in Baghdad and a town west of Baghdad. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Car bombs, suicide attack kill 35 in Iraq, hitting Ramadan crowd | Reuters
Apr 9, 2017:
On Palm Sunday in northern Egypt, at least 43 people were killed and about 100 injured in two separate ISIS bomb attacks targeting Coptic Christian churches.
The first bomb went off inside St. George's Church in the city of Tanta. The second bomb went off as a suicide bomber rushed toward St. Mark's Cathedral in the city of Alexandria.
Deadly Explosions at Two Egyptian Churches on Palm Sunday Kill At Least 43 | Time
ISIS Proves Its Strength in Egypt With Slaughter of Coptic Christians | Time
Mar 25, 2017:
The U.S. military is investigating three different airstrikes carried out this month, two in Mosul, Iraq, and one in Syria, where as many as 300 civilians may have been killed.
- March 16, in northern Syria a mosque was allegedly hit killing 40 people (U.S. military said it had targeted al Qaeda members in a different building about 40 feet away from the mosque)
- March 17, in western Mosul a vehicle containing explosives was hit allegedly killing dozens of civilians
- March 22 and 23, in western Mosul neighborhoods of al Jadidah, al Amel and al Yarmouk, as many as 200 civilians were allegedly killed
Source:
Starr, Barbara. (March 25, 2017). "US military investigating if airstrikes caused nearly 300 civilian deaths". CNN. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
Dewan, Angela. (March 26, 2017). "US-led strike caused civilian deaths in Mosul, Iraqi official says". CNN. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
Coalition says it hit Mosul site where civilians died | Aljazeera
Mosul's civilian deaths: How the US destroyed Iraq | Aljazeera
Jan 5, 2017:
Two car bombs killed at least 14 people in Baghdad, Iraq. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
Two Islamic State car bombs in Baghdad kill at least 14: sources | Reuters
Jan 2, 2017:
At a busy market in Baghdad, a man posing as someone looking to hire day laborers detonated a pickup truck loaded with explosives killing at least 36 people and wounding 52 others. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
Suicide Bombing in Baghdad Kills at Least 36 | The New York Times
Nov 21, 2016:
A suicide bomber attack at the Shia Baqir ul Olum mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people and 70 injuries. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
Afghanistan Kabul mosque suicide attack kills dozens | BBC
Afghanistan mosque attack: 30 dead, ISIS claims responsibility | CNN
Nov 7, 2016:
The Iraqi military discovered a mass grave south of the city of Mosul containing about 100 decapitated bodies.
Mosul battle: 100 decapitated bodies in mass grave | Aljazeera
Nov 6, 2016:
The U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the start of an offensive to recapture the northern city of Raqqa from ISIS. Raqqa is the declared capital of the Islamic State in Syria.
The SDF consists of the Kurdish YPG militia (Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units) and Arab rebel groups. The U.S. will be coordinating airstrikes with the SDF.
The offensive has been named operation "Euphrates Shield".
U.S.-backed Syrian alliance declares attack on Islamic State in Raqqa | Reuters
Syrian rebels announce offensive to retake Raqqa | Aljazeera
Nov 3, 2016:
In a 31-minute-long recording, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on his jihadist fighters to not retreat and to wage "total war" and to "wreak havoc".
This raging battle and total war, and the great jihad that the state of Islam is fighting today only increases our firm belief, God willing, and our conviction that all this is a prelude to victory.
Baghdadi also told his fighters to begin attacking Turkish fighters in Syria, to invade Turkey, and to launch "attack after attack" in Saudi Arabia for its support of the "infidel nations" fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Source:
Reuters. (November 2, 2016). "Islamic State leader, confident about holding Mosul, calls for invasion of Turkey". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
Kalin, Stephen; Evans, Dominic. (November 3, 2015). "Islamic State leader says 'no retreat' from Mosul assault". Reuters. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
Oct 28, 2016:
According to a United Nations spokeswoman, ISIS recently executed 232 people near Mosul and has taken tens of thousands of people to be used as human shields.
ISIS 'executes' 232 near Mosul, takes thousands as human shields, UN says | CNN
Oct 22, 2016:
Hundreds of people were treated for exposure to toxic sulfur gas as clouds of the gas were carried by the wind after ISIS set part of the al-Mishraq sulfur plant south of Mosul on fire.
Iraq: hundreds treated over toxic fumes from sulphur plant 'set alight by Isis' | The Guardian
According to Iraqi police, yesterday's attack on Kirkuk has ended. All the attackers were killed or they blew themselves up.
Isis kills dozens and seizes hostages in counter-attack on Kirkuk | The Guardian
Over the last two days, 284 men and boys were executed by ISIS and their bodies dumped n a mass grave near the site of the execution.
Local civilians and families have been forced from their homes in neighboring villages by ISIS and are being used as human shields.
Source: ISIS executes hundreds of Mosul area residents | CNN
Oct 21, 2016:
ISIS fighters launched attacks on four different police stations in the city of Kirkuk, and at a power plant outside the city, killing dozens and taking hostages.
In Iraq, ISIS Attacks City Of Kirkuk As Battle For Mosul Rages | NPR
Oct 19, 2016:
According to U.S. Major General Gary Volesky, ISIS leaders are fleeing Mosul.
Islamic State leaders are fleeing Mosul, says US general | The Guardian
Oct 17, 2016:
The offensive to retake the city of Mosul, Iraq officially began today. The offensive will be carried out by the Iraqi and Kurdish (Peshmerga) military, along with U.S.-led coalition airstrikes. There are over 5,000 U.S fighters participating in the offensive providing special operations, intelligence, and logistical assistance. Iranian-backed Shia militias are also involved in the offensive, but because most of Mosul's residents are Sunni, Shia militias will fight only on the outskirts and not enter the city in order to help reduce the possibility of fueling sectarian violence.
According to estimates, 3,000-8,000 ISIS fighters and as many as 1.5 million civilians are in Mosul at this time.
Refugee camps have been established by the United Nations and the Iraqi government north and east of Mosul to handle fleeing refugees. It's estimated that as many as 800,000 people may flee the city. Screening procedures will be implemented to identify any ISIS fighters disguised as civilians fleeing the city.
It's believed that ISIS has constructed a network of underground tunnels on Mosul. It's also believed that many areas may be "booby-trapped".
Once the city has been captured, about 6,000 Iraqi police will be deployed to establish order.
Iraq launches Mosul offensive to drive out Islamic State | Reuters
Mosul: Iraqi army battles ISIL in 'historic operation' | Al Jazeera
How Iraq Plans to Take Back Mosul From ISIS | The New York Times
Iraqi Forces Attack Mosul, a Beleaguered Stronghold for ISIS | The New York Times
Why the Battle for Mosul Is Important | ABC News
Oct 14, 2016:
According to residents and local Iraqi security forces, ISIS has put down an attempt by some of its own members to undermine the defenses being put in place to defend the city of Mosul against the upcoming Iraqi offensive. ISIS executed 58 people alleged to be part of the plot.
Exclusive: Islamic State crushes rebellion plot in Mosul as army closes in | Reuters
The Coming Battle for Mosul | The New York Times
Oct 11, 2016:
Frontline aired a two-hour program entitled "Confronting ISIS". The program gives a comprehensive chronology and analysis of the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. In particular, the program discusses the roles played by all of the neighboring Middle East countries, the incredibly complex nature of the situation, and why it has been so difficult to make progress against ISIS.
Oct 8, 2016:
The planning and staging for the battle to retake the city of Mosul from ISIS has been ongoing for several months. The official start of the offensive is supposed to happen before the end of this month.
Iraqi forces gird for grueling assault on ISIS stronghold of Mosul | Fox News
U.S. Set to Open a Climactic Battle Against ISIS in Mosul, Iraq | The New York Times
Attack on Isis stronghold Mosul may have troubled aftermath | The Guardian
Aug 1, 2016:
U.S. warplanes carried out successful airstrikes against ISIS targets in the Libyan town of Sirte. The airstrikes were coordinated with forces of the new Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) who have been attempting to drive ISIS out of Sirte. These airstrikes are the third round of strikes the U.S. has carried out since November of 2015.
U.S. Begins New Airstrike Campaign Against ISIS Targets in Libya | NBC News
US opens new front against ISIS with airstrikes in Libya | Fox News
July 25, 2016:
Yesterday, in Ansbach, Germany, a 27-year-old Syrian suicide bomber injured 15 people near a music festival.
Police found a video on the bomber's phone showing him pledging allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Suicide bomber in Germany pledged allegiance to ISIS leader | CNN
Ansbach bombing: attacker pledged allegiance to Isis, says official – as it happened
In Santa Ana, California, 22-year-old Adam Dandach was sentenced to 15 years in prison and supervised release for life for attempting to provide material support to a terror group (ISIS) and lying on his passport application.
California man, 22, given 15 years prison for trying to join ISIS | CBS News
July 12, 2016:
Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that 560 additional U.S. troops will be employed in Iraq, most of them to be stationed at the Qayara air base, in preparation for the offensive to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from ISIS.
U.S. to send more troops to Iraq ahead of Mosul offensive | Reuters
July 7, 2016:
The death toll from the July 3 truck bomb explosion in Baghdad has risen to 292 people.
Death toll from devastating ISIS truck bomb in Baghdad rises to nearly 300 | CNN
July 3, 2016:
In Baghdad, Iraq, a suicide truck bomb exploded in the busy shopping area of Karrada killing at least 121 people. At least 212 people were injured from the blast or the fire that was caused by the blast. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Bomb attack in Baghdad shopping district kills more than 120 | The Washington Post
Nearly 120 killed in overnight Baghdad bombings claimed by Islamic State | Reuters
June 30, 2016:
U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi airstrikes destroyed hundreds of ISIS vehicles as the convoy was fleeing the city of Fallujah.
VIDEO: Airstrikes Hit ISIS Convoy Fleeing Fallujah | NPR
Freed Fallujah not leveled, as Iraqi Army learns lesson of Ramadi | Fox News
June 26, 2016:
A senior Iraqi commander announced that the city of Fallujah is now "fully liberated" from ISIS control. Fallujah was the first Iraqi city to fall under ISIS control over two years ago.
Fallujah, First Iraqi City to Fall to ISIS, Now 'Fully Liberated' | Time
Iraq Liberates Fallujah From ISIS. Now the Hard Part Begins | Time
June 13, 2016:
French Police Officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing was stabbed to death outside his home in Magnanville, France by a man previously convicted for terrorist activity in 2013. After the stabbing, the man, 25-year-old Larossi Abballa, entered the victim's house and held his female partner, Jessica Schneider, and their three-year-old son hostage.
According to French Prosecutor François Molins, during hostage negotiations Abballa told him he had previously sworn allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (the Islamic State leader), but ISIS has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
French Police stormed the house, killed Abballa, and found Schneider dead. The three-year-old boy was unharmed.
French police chief and partner killed in stabbing claimed by Isis | The Guardian
ISIS-inspired attacker kills French police officer and streams it on Facebook | The Washington Post
May 30, 2016:
Iraqi forces advanced to the southern edge of Fallujah, supported by U.S. air strikes.
Iraqi army storms to edge of Islamic State-held Falluja; fresh bombings hit Baghdad | Reuters
May 29, 2016:
Iraqi forces completed a troop buildup around the city of Fallujah.
Iraqi forces complete buildup around IS-held Fallujah | The Washington Post
May 23, 2016:
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi announced the start of a major offensive to retake the city of Fallujah from the Islamic State. The announcement was followed by reports of heavy shelling in the city.
Estimates are that at least 50,000 civilians are trapped in Fallujah.
Fallujah was the first Iraqi city to fall under ISIS control in January of 2014.
Iraq PM declares offensive to retake Fallujah from ISIL | Aljazeera
May 17, 2016:
Three more bombings in Baghdad killed at least 70 people and wounded over 100. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in the district of al-Shaab.
Dozens killed in bombings in Iraq's Baghdad | Aljazeera
May 11, 2016:
In Baghdad, three separate suicide bombings killed at least 80 people. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Islamic State bombs kill 80 in deadliest Baghdad attacks this year | Reuters
ISIS says it's behind Iraq blasts that kill scores | CNN
Mar 24, 2016:
In preparation for an offensive to recapture the Iraqi city of Mosul, Iraqi forces began the Fatah (Conquest) Operation to isolate Mosul by recapturing villages in the area surrounding Mosul.
Iraqi Offensive To Liberate Mosul From ISIS Begins | Newsweek
Iraq announces start of operation to retake Mosul from ISIL | USA Today
Mar 8, 2016:
The Pentagon presented a military plan to the White House to counter the increasing presence of ISIS fighters in Libya.
Pentagon Has Plan to Cripple ISIS in Libya With Air Barrage | The New York Times
Feb 4, 2016:
ISIS now controls the city of Derna on the northeast coast of Libya, and according to sources in Libya ISIS is expanding westward along the Libyan coast.
ISIS fighters in Libya surge as group suffers setbacks in Syria, Iraq | CNN
What is Behind the Rise of ISIS in Libya? | Newsweek
Obama Is Pressed to Open Military Front Against ISIS in Libya | The New York Times
Feb 2, 2016:
In Rome, Italy, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with the 22 other members of the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State. Kerry expressed concern over ISIS "metastasizing" into other geographic areas, in particular Libya where ISIS might gain access to oil revenue, but he said that for the moment the U.S. will not send U.S. forces to Libya to intervene. The coalition will work with Martin Kobler and the United Nations to try and establish a unity government in Libya to help keep ISIS at bay.
Anti-ISIS Coalition to Intensify Efforts, John Kerry Says | The New York Times
ISIS pushed back in Iraq, Syria, but a threat in Libya: Kerry | Reuters
Jan 14, 2016:
In the capital city of Jakarta, Indonesia, terrorists carried out an attack near a Starbucks cafe and Sarinah's department store using guns and suicide bombs. Two people were killed and 24 were wounded. Five attackers were killed either by police gunshots or suicide bombs.
According to Jakarta Police Chief Tito Karnavian, Bahrun Naim, an ISIS militant in Raqqa, Syria, ordered the attack.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on social media.
Isis claims responsibility for Jakarta gun and bomb attacks | The Guardian
ISIS militant ordered Jakarta attack from abroad, police chief says | CNN
Dec 27, 2015:
The Iraqi army declared victory over ISIS in the city of Ramadi.
Iraqi army declares first major victory over Islamic State in Ramadi | Reuters
Victory in Ramadi may not yet be proof of strategy, but it is a milestone | The Washington Post
Dec 26, 2015:
Iraqi forces have made further advances and are about 550 yards from the government complex in the center of Ramadi. Coalition airstrikes have been used to help detonate explosive devices and booby-trapped houses.
Islamic State conflict: Iraqi forces push deeper into Ramadi | BBC
In northern Syria, the Syria Democratic Forces coalition (a U.S.-backed coalition of Syrian Kurdish, Arab, and Christian groups) seized the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River. The Tishrin Dam is geographically strategic, supplying much of northern Syria with electricity.
US-backed coalition seizes major dam in Syria from ISIS | Fox News
Dec 22, 2015:
Iraqi forces advanced toward the government complex in the center of Ramadi.
Iraqi troops storm into center of Islamic State-held Ramadi | Reuters
Dec 21, 2015:
In an interview with NPR's Kelly McEvers, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi again stressed his opposition to foreign ground troops in Iraq. He also said his country wants more airstrikes, weapons, and intelligence in the battle against ISIS.
Iraqi Leader: We Want More U.S. Airstrikes, But Not U.S. Ground Troops | NPR
Dec 19, 2015:
The Iraqi government said that earlier this week, U.S. airstrikes south of the city of Fallujah inadvertently killed 10 Iraqi soldiers. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said both sides share responsibility for the mishap.
Dec 17, 2015:
In northern Iraq near the town of Erbil, over 300 well-armed ISIS fighters launched at least four separate attacks against Kurdish security forces. Seventeen hours of air strikes by the U.S. along with fighting by the Kurds helped repel all the attacks in which at least 180 ISIS fighters were killed.
ISIS Carries Out First 'Serious' Attack in Northern Iraq in Months, U.S. Says | The New York Times
Dec 12, 2015:
In his weekly Saturday address President Obama discussed terrorism.
As I said in my speech last weekend, one of the most important things we can do is to stay true to who we are as Americans. Terrorists like ISIL are trying to divide us along lines of religion and background. That's how they stoke fear. That's how they recruit. And just as Muslims around the world have to keep rejecting any twisted interpretation of Islam, all of us have to reject bigotry—in all of its forms. I'll say it again, prejudice and discrimination helps ISIL and it undermines our national security.
Source:
Obama, Barack. (December 12, 2015). "Weekly Address: Standing Strong in the Face of Terrorism". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
Dec 8, 2015:
Iraqi forces regained control of the Tamim district of Ramadi, a city which has been under ISIS control since May of this year.
IS conflict: Iraqi forces 'retake key Ramadi district' | BBC
According to a report by IHS Janes released today, the airstrike campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria is having a significant impact on the group's oil refining capabilities and is forcing cost cuts.
ISIS Cutting Back as U.S.-Led Coalition Strikes Degrade Group's Oil Trade | Newsweek
Dec 7, 2015:
According to a CNN/ORC International Poll conducted November 27 – December 1, the majority of Americans (53% - 45%) support sending ground troops into combat operations against ISIS forces in Iraq or Syria. This is the first time the majority of Americans responded in support of ground troops since the CNN/ORC International Poll began polling on this question back in September of 2014. The poll also shows that 68% of Americans believe that the U.S. military response to ISIS has not been aggressive enough.
Poll: Most Americans say send ground troops to fight ISIS | CNN
Majority of Americans Want U.S. Ground Troops to Fight ISIS: Poll | Newsweek
Dec 2, 2015:
In response to U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's announcement yesterday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi said his country does not need foreign combat forces in Iraq. The prime minister also said that any military operation or deployment anywhere in Iraq require approval, coordination, and full respect of Iraqi sovereignty.
Iraq: We don't need foreign troops to fight ISIL | Al Jazeera
Dec 1, 2015:
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that the United States would be deploying a "specialized expeditionary targeting force" to help combat the Islamic State in Syria. This is in addition to the 50 special operations troops authorized on October 30, 2015.
U.S. deploying special force to boost fight against Islamic State | Reuters
Nov 29, 2015:
According to U.S. Army Colonel Steve Warren, the ongoing bombing campaign by coalition forces and advances by Kurdish forces are having a significant impact on Islamic State forces, with estimates of total killed ISIS fighters around 23,000. Estimates of remaining fighters in Iraq and Syria are between 20,000 and 30,000. ISIS still controls the Iraqi towns of Mosul and Ramadi, and large portions of Syria.
Source:
Vanden Brook, Tom. (November 29, 2015). "Islamic State defections mount as death toll rises, U.S. official says". USA Today. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
Read U.S. Department of Defense press briefing transcripts on the progress against ISIS here.
Nov 24, 2015:
In Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb on a presidential guard bus killing at least 12 people. The president of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi, declared a country-wide state of emergency and a established a curfew in Tunis. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
Tunisian president declares state of emergency after bus bombing | The Guardian
Apparent suicide attack on Tunisian presidential guard bus kills 12 | Reuters
Nov 23, 2015:
NPR's The Diane Rehm Show aired a one-hour program entitled "Globalization, Religious Extremism And Jihad Around The World".
Diane's guests were:
- Michael McFaul, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, who served for five years in the Obama administration as a special assistant to the president at the National Security Council and as ambassador to the Russian Federation
- Robin Wright, analyst and joint fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and Woodrow Wilson International Center, author of "Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World", and contributing writer to The New Yorker
- Shadi Hamid, senior fellow at the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, and author of "Temptations of Power: Islamists and Illiberal Democracy in a New Middle East"
- Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Nov 18, 2015:
The current issue of Dabiq, the Islamic State's official digital magazine, discusses the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut, and the downing of Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 in Egypt.
According to the magazine, the Paris attacks and the downing of the Russian airliner were in retaliation for airstrikes against ISIS by France and Russia. The magazine also shows a photograph of an improvised bomb it says was used to bring down Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 in Egypt. The photo shows a Schweppes soft drink can and what appears to be a detonator.
The Latest Issue of ISIS's Magazine Is As Terrible As You'd Think | Mother Jones
Islamic State says 'Schweppes bomb' used to bring down Russian plane | Reuters
Nov 17, 2015:
Russia announced that the recent Russian airliner crash in Egypt was definitely a terrorist act and that a bomb brought down the plane.
Putin vows payback after confirmation of Egypt plane bomb | Reuters
NPR's The Diane Rehm Show aired a one-hour program entitled "New Pressures On The U.S. And Europe To Shift Strategies In The Fight Against ISIS".
Diane's guests were:
- Peter Baker, reporter, The New York Times
- James Bamford, columnist for Foreign Policy Magazine, documentary writer and producer for PBS, and author of "The Shadow Factory: The NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America."
- Marc Pierini, visiting scholar, and Carnegie Europe former European Union ambassador to Turkey, Syria, Tunisia and Morocco
- Ambassador James Jeffrey, the Philip Solondz distinguished visiting fellow at The Washington Institute, and former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and Turkey
Nov 16, 2015:
In a new video, ISIS warned that countries involved in airstrikes in Syria would suffer the same fate as the recent attacks in Paris. The video also mentioned Washington, D.C. specifically as a target.
Islamic State threatens attack on Washington, other countries | Reuters
Nov 14, 2015:
Last night in Paris, France, ISIS terrorists attacked and killed over 100 civilians and wounded hundreds at six different locations.
Nov 13, 2015:
Kurdish forces, supported by U.S. airstrikes, seized the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar from ISIS. Sinjar was under ISIS control since August, 2014.
Kurdish forces seize Iraq's Sinjar town from Islamic State | Reuters
Nov 12, 2015:
Two suicide bombs were detonated in a busy shopping district in southern Beirut, Lebanon, killing at least 43 people and wounding over 200. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack and said the target was primarily Shiite Muslims.
ISIS Claims Responsibility for Blasts That Killed Dozens in Beirut | The New York Times
Beirut suicide bombings kill 43; suspect claims ISIS sent attackers | CNN
Nov 4, 2015:
Although no formal conclusion has been reached or announced, U.S. intelligence suggests that the Russian airliner which crashed four days ago in Egypt was brought down by a bomb planted on the plane by ISIS or an ISIS affiliate. The intelligence also suggests that someone at the Sharm el-Sheikh airport helped get the bomb on the plane.
Officials in Egypt and Russia said there is no evidence to support the ISIS claim of responsibility.
Russian plane crash: U.S. intel suggests ISIS bomb brought down jet | CNN
Egyptian Leaders Blame a Familiar Foe, Conspiracy, but Citizens Are Dubious | The New York Times
Oct 31, 2015:
A Russian airliner, Metrojet Flight 9268, en route from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to St. Petersburg, Russia crashed a short time after takeoff killing all 224 passengers and crew on board. The Egyptian branch of the Islamic State claimed responsibility.
Russian Airliner Crashes in Egypt, Killing 224 | The New York Times
Oct 30, 2015:
The U.S. White House announced that up to 50 special operations forces will be deployed to Syria to advise and assist Syrian Kurdish and Arab rebel forces fighting ISIS.
Read a transcript of the press briefing by U.S. Press Secretary Josh Earnest here.
Syria: Obama authorizes boots on ground to fight ISIS | CNN
Oct 22, 2015:
American Special Operations forces and Kurdish forces on five American helicopters flew into an area near the Iraqi town of Hawija to conduct a raid which freed 69 Arab prisoners of the Islamic State. The operation was intended to free about 20 Kurdish pesh merga fighters, but instead those freed included Iraqi security forces, some local residents and possibly some militants.
The freed prisoners said they were to be executed later in the day. Trench graves had already been dug.
One American soldier was killed in the operation. This is the first time an American has been confirmed to directly accompany local forces in Iraq onto the battlefield against ISIS since President Obama sent troops back to Iraq last year.
U.S. Soldier Dies in Raid to Free Prisoners of ISIS in Iraq | The New York Times
ISIS Captives Say They Faced Blade as Rescue Came | The New York Times
Sep 27, 2015:
ISIS fighters attacked checkpoints in eastern Afghanistan.
Militants allied to Islamic State attack Afghanistan forces | BBC
Sep 23, 2015:
Falling oil prices and coalition airstrikes on oil refining operations is having an impact on the financial well-being of ISIS, causing the group to rely more on taxation of its estimated eight million people.
ISIS Is Facing a Cash Crunch in the Caliphate | Newsweek
Sep 21, 2015:
According to a report by the International Center for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence entitled "Victims, Perpetrators, Assets: The Narratives of Islamic State Defectors" ISIS defectors are a "new and growing phenomenon", and since January of 2014, "...at least 58 individuals have left the group and publicly spoken about their defection.".
The report identified four key narratives based on interviews with defectors:
- IS is more interested in fighting fellow (Sunni) Muslims than the Assad government.
- IS is involved in brutality and atrocities against (Sunni) Muslims.
- IS is corrupt and un-Islamic.
- Life under IS is harsh and disappointing.
ISIS Defectors Reveal Frustration Over Corruption, Atrocities and Sunni Infighting: Study | Newsweek
Aug 26, 2015:
NPR's The Diane Rehm Show aired a one-hour program entitled "The Islamic State’s Destruction of Antiquities And How it Fits With A Broader Strategy For Power".
Steve Roberts (guest host) guests were:
- Graeme Wood, lecturer in political science at Yale University and contributing editor at Atlantic Magazine
- Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University and former Pakistani high commissioner to the U.K., with a forthcoming book entitled "Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration and Empire"
- William McCants, director for the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at the Brookings Institution, former State Department Senior Adviser for countering violent extremism, and author of the forthcoming book entitled "The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State" (September 2015)
Aug 24, 2015:
ISIS has destroyed the ancient Temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra, Syria using explosives.
Palmyra's Baalshamin temple 'blown up by IS' | BBC
Aug 20, 2015:
Yesterday, the U.S. and its allies conducted an air strike which destroyed an explosives facility near Ar Rutbah, Iraq. The facility was being used to produce vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), the kinds of devices used in recent deadly explosions in Baghdad, Baquba, and Khan Bani Saad in Iraq.
The US is going after ISIS' most devastating weapon | Business Insider
Aug 13, 2015:
An in-depth article in The New York Times entitled "ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape" discusses the "Quran-approved" systematic sexual slavery administered by ISIS, particularly against Yazidi women.
In Baghdad, Iraq, a truck with explosives was detonated in a crowded farmers' market killing 80 people and injuring at least 200. ISIS claimed responsibility for the blast.
Blast at Baghdad market kills dozens; ISIS claims responsibility | CNN
Isis bombing leaves scores dead at market in Baghdad | The Guardian
Aug 11, 2015:
Iraqui forces have surrounded the city of Ramadi. Airstrikes have been carried out on Ramadi in an attempt to weaken ISIS fighters.
Coalition says Iraqis close to taking Ramadi | USA Today
Aug 10, 2015:
In Baquba, Iraq (about 40 miles north of Baghdad) a suicide car bomb exploded at an outdoor market killing at least 30 people and wounding 40 others. ISIS claimed responsibility for the blast.
ISIS claims suicide bombing in central Iraqi city of Baquba that kills at least 30 | CNN
Yesterday, the U.S. and its allies conducted 29 air strikes in Iraq and Syria, one of which destroyed a homemade explosives factory.
Nearly 30 U.S.-led air strikes target Islamic State: statement | Reuters
Jul 29, 2015:
According to an article in USA Today, airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, which began on August 8, 2014, have killed approximately 15,000 ISIS members, but those deaths have been replaced by new recruits, leaving the total number of ISIS militants in Iraq and Syria at 20,000-31,500.
Islamic State recruiting offsets 15,000 killed by airstrikes in past year | USA Today
Jul 23, 2015:
Turkey will allow the United States access to two air bases in Turkey which should make U.S. air strikes against ISIS in Syria more effective.
U.S. Jets to Use Turkish Bases in War on ISIS | The New York Times
Iraqi soldiers, trained by U.S. forces, are preparing for an offensive against ISIS fighters in the Iraqi city of Ramadi.
U.S.-trained Iraqi forces prepare for Ramadi offensive against Islamic State | The Washington Post
Jul 17, 2015:
In Khan Bani Saad, Iraq (about 21 miles north of Baghdad), a suicide bomber with an ice truck killed 120 people and wounded at least 140. ISIS claimed responsibility for the blast.
Sinister ISIS plot kills 120, wounds 140 in Iraq | CNN
Jun 26, 2015:
ISIS claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack at the Hotel Riu Imperial Marhaba in Tunisia. At least 38 people were killed and at least 36 people were wounded. A lone gunman, Abu Yahya al-Qirawani, was responsible for the shooting and he was killed.
Two other terrorist attacks, one in France and another in Kuwait, occurred on this same day.
Terror attacks on 3 continents; ISIS claims responsibility in Tunisia, Kuwait | CNN
Jun 7, 2015:
Iraqi forces recaptured key parts of the northern town of Beiji. The Beiji oil refinery, the largest in Iraq and of major importance to Iraq's domestic oil supply, is very close to the town of Beiji
Iraqi Forces And Shiite Militias Advance Against ISIS In Key Refinery Town | The Huffington Post
Jun 2, 2015:
Iraqi ministers and international allies including the United States and France met in Paris, France to discuss strategy in the fight against ISIS.
Iraqi leader decries ‘failure’ of world to confront Islamic State gains | The Washington Post
May 27, 2015:
Iraqi forces began an offensive to take back the city of Ramadi.
Iraqi forces launch operation to drive ISIS from Anbar, Salaheddi | CNN
Iraq opens operation to choke off Islamic State lifelines in Ramadi | The Washington Post
May 18, 2015:
Over the past several days, ISIS insurgents seized control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi. In total, about 500 people were killed and about 25,000 people fled the city, going east toward Baghdad (about 60 miles away). Today, Shiite forces in Iraq assembled near Ramadi in preparation to retake the city.
Shi'ite forces move in on Iraqi city taken by Islamic State | Reuters
Key Iraqi city falls to ISIS as defenders retreat | The Washington Post
May 16, 2015:
In a U.S. Special Operations forces ground raid in Syria, Abu Sayyaf, a senior ISIS leader, was killed.
Senior ISIS leader killed in U.S. raid in Syria | The Washington Post
Mar 31, 2015:
The Prime Minister of Iraq, Haider al-Abadi, announced that Tikrit is now in the control of Iraqi forces and that the city has been liberated.
Iraqi forces take back Tikrit from ISIS, official says | CNN
Mar 18, 2015:
In Tunis, Tunisia, at least 20 people were killed and at least 44 were wounded by terrorists who attacked tourists at the Bardo National Museum. Although no group directly claimed responsibility for the attack, ISIS praised the two attackers and referred to the attack as "the first drop of the rain".
Tunis museum attack: 20 people killed after hostage drama at tourist site | The Guardian
Islamic State says it killed tourists in Tunisia | Reuters
Mar 11, 2015:
The Iraqi army and Shia militia have made significant progress in recapturing control of Tikrit from ISIS.
Iraqi forces take military hospital from ISIS as Tikrit offensive continues | CNN
Iraqi Army Cements Hold on Tikrit, but Islamic State Sends a Message | The New York Times
Mar 6, 2015:
In the northern city of Nimrud in Iraq, ISIS used bulldozers to destroy ancient cultural artifacts. The Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Irina Bokova, said the destruction constitutes a "war crime".
ISIS bulldozes ruins of ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, Iraqi ministry says | CNN
UN Official: ISIS Destruction of Ancient City of Nimrud, Artifacts a ‘War Crime’ | ABC News
Mar 1, 2015:
The Iraqi army and Shia militia began military operations to take back the town of Tikrit which is controlled by ISIS.
Iraqi army and militia begin assault on Isis strongholds north of Baghdad | The Guardian
Iraq's assault on Isis sparks fears of new atrocities in the Sunni triangle | The Guardian
Why 'emotional' battle for Tikrit will defeat ISIS | CNN
Feb 27, 2015:
According to a video released by ISIS, ISIS destroyed statues and other artifacts at the Mosul Museum in Mosul, Iraq.
Video shows ISIS militants destroying antiquities in Iraq | CNN
The Destruction of Cultural Heritage Should be a War Crime | The Wall Street Journal
Feb 19, 2015:
ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq) also referred to as ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) or simply IS (Islamic State), is surely a force to be reckoned with. But ultimately, the even greater force to be reckoned with is why people are drawn to this group to join their fight.
In the February 19, 2015 issue of The New York Times, journalist Mona El-Naggar writes about Islam Yaken, a young man living in a middle-class Cairo, Egypt neighborhood who gave up his everyday life to join ISIS. The forces which caused Yaken's "change of heart" can be summarized as follows:
- Living in a time of political unrest, upheaval, and military rule
- Living in a time and at a place where achieving personal and career goals were very, very difficult
- The loss of a close friend
- Feeling very conflicted and guilty about his own sexual desires and urges (and perhaps to some extent "Western" values) versus a more pious life centered around God and religion
- Discovering a person/mentor who offers up another, seemingly less-conflicted way of life
In a February 19, 2015 article in The Washington Post, Fareed Zakaria quotes Barnard College professor Sheri Berman who says "An ideology succeeds when it replaces some other set of ideas that has failed."
Source:
El-Naggar, Mona. (February 18, 2015). "From a Private School in Cairo to ISIS Killing Fields in Syria (With Video)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
Zakaria, Fareed. (February 18, 2015). "The limits of the ‘Islamic’ label". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
ISIS is also referred to as "Daesh", which is an acronym for the group’s full Arabic name, al-Dawla al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham. Depending on how Daesh conjugated in Arabic, it can mean anything from "to trample down and crush" to "a bigot who imposes his view on others."
Words matter in 'ISIS' war, so use 'Daesh' | The Boston Globe
Feb 7, 2015:
In response to the execution of Muadh al-Kasasbeh, Jordan carried out a third day of airstrikes against ISIS targets. The Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Irina Bokova, said the destruction constitutes a "war crime".
Jordan Bombs More ISIS Targets In Retaliation For Pilot's Death | Reuters
Jordan unleashes wrath on ISIS: 'This is just the beginning' | CNN
Jordan bombs ISIS targets, vows to "eliminate" militants | CBS News
Feb 4, 2015:
In response to the execution of Muadh al-Kasasbeh, Jordan executed al Qaeda prisoners Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad Karbouli.
Jordan executes prisoners after ISIS hostage burned alive | CNN
Jordanian Pilot’s Death, Shown in ISIS Video, Spurs Jordan to Execute Prisoners | The New York Times
Feb 3, 2015:
A video was posted online by the Islamic State showing captured Jordanian pilot Muadh al-Kasasbeh in a cage being burned alive.
Jordan pilot hostage Moaz al-Kasasbeh 'burned alive' | BBC
Oct 14, 2014:
An article in Mother Jones magazine summarizes some of the specific terrorist tactics endorsed and followed by ISIS, all of which are in the fourth issue of Dabiq (the Islamic State's official digital magazine).
Here's a summary from the Mother Jones article:
- Sack other people's cities
- Condemn other people's beliefs
- Enslave people, in some cases to save ISIS's men from temptation
- Threaten and kill people
- Turn women and children into sex slaves and concubines—those you don't, kill
- Plunder
- Murder civilians
- Ethnically cleanse
- Use suicide as a weapon
- Purport to help people even as you commit horrible atrocities
Source:
McLaughlin, Jenna. (October 14, 2014). "ISIS Magazine Promotes Slavery, Rape, and Murder of Civilians in God's Name". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2015-11-21.
More:
- At Least 28 People Killed in Terrorist Attack at Bangladesh Restaurant | Health and Wellness Resource
- Americans Attracted to ISIS Find an 'Echo Chamber' on Social Media | The New York Times
- Islamic State group publicly killing gays in Syria and Iraq to show its 'ideological purity' | U.S. News & World Report
- Why young American women are joining ISIS | The Washington Post
- Islamic State leader in Afghanistan 'killed by drone' | BBC
- The Iraqi campaign to retake Ramadi from ISIS is a looming disaster | Business Insider
- Why fight for the Iraqis if they are not going to fight for themselves? | The Washington Post
- The Islamic State appears to fray from within | The Washington Post
- Islamic State and its increasingly sophisticated cinema of terror | Los Angeles Times
- Children, Caged for Effect, to Mimic Imagery of ISIS | The New York Times
- Muslim clerics denounce ‘savage’ Isis murder of Jordanian pilot | The Guardian
- Militants’ Killing of Jordanian Pilot Unites the Arab World in Anger | The New York Times
- The Evolution of ISIS | The New York Times
- The Rise of ISIS | PBS Frontline
- Inside the Rise of ISIS | PBS Frontline
- Losing Iraq | PBS Frontline