The Islamic State (IS) emerged in 2014, declaring a caliphate across Iraq and Syria and quickly gaining global attention for its brutal tactics, including mass executions and enslavement of Yazidi women.
Despite losing all territorial control by 2019, IS remains a persistent threat, recruiting members worldwide and orchestrating deadly attacks. Sleeper cells in Syria and Iraq continue to target government forces and civilians, complicating efforts for stability in these regions.
The group’s origins trace back to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s leadership of the Islamic State in Iraq, which evolved from an al-Qaeda offshoot. Renamed the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), it launched a military campaign to capture significant territories.
In 2014, IS seized Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, and declared a caliphate, urging global allegiance. Since then, IS has conducted international terror operations, inspiring attacks and maintaining a global presence despite territorial losses.
Persistent Threat: The Evolution and Current Challenges of the Islamic State (IS)
The US-led coalition, comprising over 80 countries, led efforts to defeat IS militarily, culminating in the capture of Mosul in 2017 and Raqqa, the group’s de facto capital, later that year. In 2019, the final stronghold in Baghouz, Syria, fell to Kurdish-led forces, officially marking the end of IS’s territorial control.
However, remnants still operate in Syria and Iraq, estimated between 5,000 to 7,000 fighters, organized into sleeper cells and scattered in remote areas.
Recent years have seen IS branches gaining strength in Africa and Afghanistan, while its leadership is believed to remain in Syria. Despite assertions by Iraqi officials that IS lacks the capability to stage a significant comeback, the group continues to pose security challenges, perpetuating instability with sporadic attacks.
Efforts to combat IS include ongoing military operations and intelligence-sharing among coalition forces aimed at dismantling remaining networks and preventing resurgence.
In Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to detain thousands of IS fighters and their families, managing several detention facilities and camps.
The region remains volatile, exemplified by a major IS attack on a Kurdish-run prison in 2022, resulting in extensive casualties. Meanwhile, US-led coalition support remains crucial in advising and assisting local forces to maintain security and prevent IS resurgence in both Iraq and Syria.
Looking ahead, while IS no longer controls vast territories, its ability to recruit, carry out attacks, and inspire global terror persists. International efforts continue to focus on eradicating IS remnants, securing detention facilities, and addressing the root causes of extremism to prevent future resurgence.
