Waging jihad to establish Islamic caliphate, the ISIS
emerges as the most fearsome and well funded terrorist organization in the
world. Its ferocity and determination have made it conquer large swath of lands
in Syria and Iraq. During a battle Iraqi security forces fled from engagement
leaving behind large quantity of weapons given to them by the Americans. The
bonanza of American weapons and their initial military victories were a big boost
to the morale of the ISIS fighters.
The advance of the ISIS has displaced thousands of
indigenous population. Its onslaught created a flow of refugees in Northern
Iraq and the Turkish borders. The ISIS which is mostly composed of Sunnis is at
odds with the local Shiites, and armed confrontations are common occurrence between
them. Conquering an area, the ISIS militants give the minorities such as the
Christians and the Yazidis to convert to Islam or be killed. In areas that fell
under their control after a military operation, the militants imposed harsh
actions to the local populace. Women and children are separated from the men. The
men including older male children are then killed execution style. The method
of execution includes shooting, beheading and crucifying. Captured or kidnapped
women are then raped or made as sex slaves. Selected young women are gifted to ISIS
commanders as “wives”. Captured children are trained to become “holy warriors”
or suicide bombers.
The US and western nations airstrikes have given the Kurds,
the Iraqi security forces and other local militias a breathing space to deal with the ISIS. The Peshmerga the Kurdish armed forces which took the brunt of the
fighting were able to recapture lost grounds. With US air support and weapons
supplied by France and other European nations' the Kurds stalled or halted
the ISIS advance into their territory.
Getting back at the Americans, the ISIS beheaded two
American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff in an effort to intimidate
them and their allies. France which is active in the campaign against the
terror group was also given a warning that its citizens will be targeted.
Despite the US air strikes, the ISIS militants have shown
their superiority over local adversaries especially the Iraqi security forces. In
the middle of September 2014, ISIS militants besieged an Iraqi army unit
guarding a strategic supply route in Western Anbar. Suicide bombers dressed as
Iraqi soldiers on bomb-laden Humvee vehicles drove through an army camp and
detonated the bombs into the Iraqi soldiers’ positions. The explosions inflicted
heavy casualties to the surprised Iraqi army. Amid the chaos and confusion that
ensued, the militants then assaulted and overran the camp and killed as many as
250 Iraqi soldiers. Those who were not killed were captured or were able to
escape. It is estimated that the Iraqi security forces lost about 500 of its
troops that are listed as either killed or missing in that battle.
The brutalities of the ISIS have made some leaders and
clerics of Muslim world such as Saudi Arabia to denounce the group. They stated
that the group’s actions are disgrace to the Islamic faith and are not
compatible with the principles of Islam. And that the ISIS does not represent
the Muslims. Putting their money where their mouths are, Muslim countries such
as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain with Qatar in supporting
role have joined the coalition of countries that conducted airstrikes against
the ISIS in Syria.
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