About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (April 26, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/govzdp0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Intorm~ng the legislative debate since 1914 Updated April 26, 2018 The Islamic State The Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da 'esh) is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group with a few thousand remaining fighters in Iraq and Syria and an unknown number of supporters in other countries. Since late 2017, U.S. military officials have stated that the Islamic State has lost approximately 98 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria. This has changed the nature of related threats, prompting some reconsideration of U.S. approaches. The Islamic State's forerunner was the late Abu Musab al Zarqawi's organization in Iraq, which became Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and later the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). After expanding into war-torn Syria in 2013, the group declared the establishment of a caliphate in June 2014 and changed its name to the Islamic State. After IS leaders claimed several attacks in the Middle East and Europe, U.S. officials publicly described the group as having embraced an external operations agenda. U.S. officials judge that the group has either directed or inspired terrorist attacks globally, including in the United States. In February 2018, the U.S. intelligence community assessed that ISIS core has started-and probably will maintain-a robust insurgency in Iraq and Syria as part of a long-term strategy to ultimately enable the reemergence of its so- called caliphate. U.S. intelligence officials expect that the group is likely to focus on regrouping in Iraq and Syria, enhancing its global presence, championing its cause, planning international attacks, and encouraging its members and sympathizers to attack in their home countries. Groups Affiliated with the Islamic State Since 2014, some armed groups have recognized the Islamic State and pledged loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. Groups in Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Afghanistan, and Nigeria have used the Arabic word wilayah (state/province) to describe themselves as constituent members of a broader IS-led caliphate. Their objectives, tactics, and leadership structures vary and are evolving over time. U.S. intelligence officials expect the group to seek to leverage the capabilities and operations of its affiliates to demonstrate resilience in the coming year. The Split with Al Qaeda Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri publicly severed ties with the Islamic State in February 2014, citing brutal IS tactics, infighting between the Islamic State and other Sunni groups, and a long-running dispute over areas of operation. At the time, IS leaders said their organization is not and has never been an offshoot of Al Qaeda, and described previous IS conduct toward Al Qaeda as deference rather than obedience. Media reports and third-party analyses have explored competition between the Islamic State and Al Qaeda for prominence and support, but it is unclear if Al Qaeda will directly benefit from the stark reversal of the Islamic State's fortunes in its main areas of operation. U.S. intelligence officials judge that Al Qaeda remains a major actor in global terrorism. The Domestic Threat U.S. officials consider the Islamic State a direct threat to U.S. and allied interests overseas and in December 2017 acknowledged the group's likely desire and capacity to inspire attacks inside the United States. The December 2015 shooting attack in San Bernardino, California, and the June 2016 shooting in Orlando, Florida were attributed to purported IS supporters who have not been reported to have operational links to the organization. U.S. intelligence officials reported in February 2018 that the group almost certainly will continue to give priority to transnational terrorist attacks, and that U.S.-based homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) will remain the most prevalent Sunni violent extremist threat in the United States. Strategy to Counter the Islamic State The Trump Administration has reviewed and amended U.S. plans to defeat the Islamic State in its areas of control in Iraq and Syria. U.S. strategy leverages the contributions of multinational and local partner forces to reduce the geographic and political space, manpower, and financial resources available to the Islamic State. U.S. intelligence officials cite IS territorial losses, force attrition, and reduced recruiting as indicators of the group's decline, but warn of its potential resilience and the potentially high costs of long-term efforts to stabilize liberated areas. Congress continues to review and require updates of the Administration's strategy and plans. The U.S.-led coalition has pursued a range of measures, including: Military Operations. U.S. and coalition forces' operations against IS forces have declined in intensity and frequency since September 2017, reflecting the end of major combat operations in Iraq and the isolation of remaining IS fighters in remote areas of Syria. Syria. On October 17, 2017, U.S. military officials announced that U.S.-backed forces had completed their operation to retake the IS self-declared capital at Raqqah. In 2018, coalition operations continued against IS remnants in eastern Syria. In areas closer to the Iraq-Syria border, operations have brought Syrian government forces and their allies closer to U.S. forces and U.S. partners, resulting in at least one instance of armed confrontation. Administration officials emphasize that the primary purpose of U.S. operations in Syria is the defeat of the Islamic State. Iraq. In December 2017, Iraqi leaders proclaimed victory in their U.S.-backed military campaign against the Islamic State after recapturing territory near the Syrian border and sweeping desert areas in western Anbar Province. Millions of displaced Iraqi civilians have begun to return home. Stabilization efforts are underway but are challenged in some areas by insecurity, costs, and unexploded ordnance. Firm U.S. and Iraqi plans for continued U.S. training and https://crsreports.congress go

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most