[Editorial Note: This is not a "Best of," only a roundup of significant pieces. See here for an introduction to this roundup series]
English Articles
Trolling ISIS How an Internet scam could stymie ISIS’s online recruiters. (18 July, 2015) Aki Peritz provides an insight into how to challenge ISIS’s recruiting system.
`I`m Not a Butcher`: An Interview with Islamic State`s Architect of Death (16 July, 2015) Christoph Reuter interviews Abu Abdullah who was, for one and a half years, responsible for organizing Islamic State`s suicide bombings in Baghdad. He is one of the organization`s rare leading figures to be captured alive. The interview conducted in a high-security prison in Baghdad.
Tribal massacre victims forced to negotiate with IS ( 22 July, 2015) A year after a deadly attack by the Islamic State, tribesmen in Syria`s Deir ez-Zor are trying to bring civilians back to their homes.
The Islamic State`s secret recruiting ground in Turkey ( 23 July, 2015) Bombers from two separate incidents have hailed from Adiyaman province.
A Personal War: America’s Marxist Allies Against ISIS ( 24 July, 2015) Matt Bradley and Joe Parkinson report on the PKK and its Syrian affiliate, the People’s Defense Units, or YPG, and the alliance between these Kurdish forces and the U.S.against ISIS.
How to think about Islamic State ( 24 July, 2015) According to Pankaj Mishra, the “Islamic State is often called ‘medieval’ but is in fact very modern – a horrific expression of a widespread frustration with a globalised western model that promises freedom and prosperity to all, but fails to deliver”
Turkey stages first airstrikes on Islamic State in Syria ( 25 July, 2015) Turkish warplanes pounded Islamic State targets in Syria for the first time on Friday, with President Tayyip Erdogan promising more decisive action against both the jihadists and Kurdish militants.
Coalition must seek a common goal in Syria (27 July, 2015) As the anti-ISIS coalition now turns attention to Syria, Hassan Hassan claims that the way to defeat the them starts in Aleppo.
Turkey and U.S. plan to create Syria ‘safe zone’ free of ISIS (27 July, 2015) “The plan would significantly intensify American and Turkish military action against Islamic State militants in the country.”
Abductions hurt U.S. bid to train Anti-ISIS rebels in Syria (30 July, 2015) Problems with recruitment, screening, dismissals and desertions haunt the US bid to train anti-ISIS rebels in Syria.
Syrian Kurds fear territorial gains are at risk after Turkish action (30 July, 2015) “Turkey’s formal entry into Syria’s war and its renewed attacks on the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has alarmed Syrian Kurds battling ISIL.”
US moves to quash reports on Syria trainees captured by al-Nusra (30 July, 2015) US denies reports that Syrian US-trained rebels have been captured by al-Nusra, and emphasizes that these rebels must focus on pushing out ISIS.
Islamic State group threatens to kill Croat in Egypt (5 August 2015) An Islamic State affiliate released a video Wednesday Aug. 5, 2015 threatening to kill a Croatian hostage if Egyptian authorities do not release "Muslim women" held in prison within 48 hours, a day before the country plans to unveil a highly promoted new extension of the Suez Canal.
Turkey`s Islamic State sleeper cells (6 August 2015) A former lawmaker says the Islamic State has more potent live bomb capacity than the PKK through its sleeper cells in Turkey.
IMU Declares It Is Now Part Of The Islamic State (6 August 2015) The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is not only allied to the Islamic State (IS) group, it now considers itself part of it.
Sickening video reveals Isis’s new method of execution: Ten prisoners made to kneel above bombs that have been buried in the ground (10 August 2015) ISIS militants bury bombs in the ground before blowing up their prisoners. The Khorasan killings were filmed in an unknown location in Afghanistan. The video claims the ten prisoners had committed acts of `apostasy.`
Newlyweds Are Accused of Planning to Join ISIS (11 August 2015) “A newlywed Mississippi couple who were arrested on the way to the airport for a trip to Syria to join the Islamic State”
U.S. Sidelines Its $500M Syrian Rebel Army (11 August 2015) The Obama administration has itself a new proxy force to fight ISIS, but not the rebel army it’s committed half a billion dollars to assemble.
Why Turkey Is Fighting the Kurds Who Are Fighting ISIS (12 August 2015) Sarah Almukhtar and Tim Wallace report on why "Turkey is more actively targeting Kurdish insurgents with the P.K.K. than it is fighters with the Islamic State".
Assad support not enough to keep Alawites in Syria (13 August 2015) Alawites feel like they are fighting a losing battle, and have been forced to flee Syria as ISIS continues to gain control of more territory in Syria.
ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape (13 August 2015) Claiming the Quran’s support, the Islamic State codifies sex slavery in conquered regions of Iraq and Syria and uses the practice as a recruiting tool.
Purported ISIS militants post list of 1,400 U.S. `targets` (13 August 2015) A group calling itself the Islamic State Hacking Division posted online a purported list of names and contacts for Americans it refers to as "targets," according to officials.
ISIS Throws Gay Men From Roof In Syria, Releases Photos And Recording Of Execution: Video (15 August 2015) Erica Pishdadian reports on the execution of two men suspected of being gay by ISIS.
Government airstrikes on market in Syria kill more than 80 (16 August 2015) While the Assad regime has murdered countless civilians through airstrikes on rebel-controlled areas, the attack on Douma is uncommon and the area is classified as a stronghold for the Islamic State army.
Nusra and ISIS targeting, assassinating local Palestinian leaders in Yarmouk (17 August 2015) The Jafra Foundation speaks about Syrian civil war and the overlooked impact on Palestinian refugees in Syria.
Beheaded Syrian scholar refused to lead Isis to hidden Palmyra antiquities (19 August 2015) Khaled al-Assad, a Syrian scholar, was murdered by Islamic State militants because he refused to reveal where valuable artifacts had been moved for safekeeping.
Group: ISIS beheads expert who refused to reveal location of valuable antiquities (20 August 2015) Don Melvin, Ralph Ellis and Salma Abdelaziz report on the murder of Khaled al-As`ad at the hands of ISIS in Palmyra.
Archaeologist`s Execution Highlights Risks to History`s Guardians (20 August 2015) Mark Strauss writes about the brutal death of Khaled al-Asaad at the hands of ISIS and argues that his death is “a reminder that archaeologists can find themselves on war`s front lines, protecting artifacts”.
The 70s Porno Makeover for Pro-ISIS Warlord (22 August 2015) Alex Rowell writes about the detention of Lebanon’s ISIS-supporting jihadist warlord, Ahmad al-Assir, who was arrested after two years on the run at Beirut airport.
In Syria, potential ally’s Islamist ties challenge U.S. (25 August 2015) In Syria, the government, the Islamic State and an array of insurgents are fighting a complex civil war.
Photos: ISIS terrorist blown up Baal Shamin Temple (25 August 2015) “New photos appeared on social media show ISIS terrorist blown up Baal Shamin temple dating back to the 3rd century AD in Palmyra.”
ISIS Damages Temple of Baal in Palmyra (30 August 2015) As the Islamic State has seized more and more territory in Iraq and Syria, it has destroyed a number of historic sites that have enormous cultural value to Syria’s past.
Russia Puts Boots on the Ground in Syria (1 September 2015) “The numbers are small, but Moscow may be looking at its own version of mission creep in the treacherous Middle East."
U.S. launches secret drone campaign to hunt Islamic State leaders in Syria (1 September 2015) According to U.S. officials, the CIA and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) are flying drones over Syria in a collaboration responsible for several recent strikes against senior Islamic State operatives.
Vladimir Putin confirms Russian military involvement in Syria`s civil war (4 September 2015) Russian president talks of desire for "international coalition" to fight terrorism and extremism and does not rule out possibility of direct military intervention in Syria.
U.S. warns Russia over military support for Assad (5 September 2015) Secretary of State John Kerry warns Russia that a move in Syria could lead to a confrontation with the U.S.-led coalition.
Britain `moving closer` to military action in Syria (7 September 2015) A senior government minister has signalled Britain is moving closer to military action in war-torn Syria, as Syria`s foreign ministry accuses Britain and France of a `colonialist` agenda.
Exclusive: 50 Spies Say ISIS Intelligence Was Cooked (9 September 2015) “More than 50 intelligence analysts working out of the U.S. military’s Central Command have formally complained that their reports on ISIS and al Qaeda’s branch in Syria were being inappropriately altered by senior officials, The Daily Beast has learned.”
Blasted to bits: Now ISIS blows up three 2,000-year-old tomb towers in Palmyra (10 September 2015) Satellite images show that ISIS has blown up three ancient tower tombs in Palmyra. Syrian antiquities chief says that the tombs were best preserved and most beautiful. This tragic event comes after the destruction of Baal Shamin shrine and the Temple of Bel.
Angelina Jolie is wrong - Islamic State`s use of rape is horrible but familiar (10 September 2015) Joan Smith writes that ISIS leaders would like us to think it is the most frightening terror organisation that’s ever existed, but they are by no means the first group of men to use mass rape as a deliberate policy.
Russia calls on US to co-operate with its military in Syria (11 September 2015) This article reports about Kremlin strategy in Syria and the recent Russian call on the US to co-operate with its military in Syria against ISIS.
Daesh leaders face trial after Coalition Air Raid (14 September 2015) On 6 September, an ISIS meeting took place in the Islamic court building of Daesh which was formerly the Finance Directorate building of Raqqa. The meeting included some of the most prominent leaders of Daesh in Syria with leaders who came from Iraq.
One in five Syrians say Islamic State is a good thing, poll says(15 September 2015) “A recent survey of 1,365 Syrians from all 14 governorates of the country found some surprising attitudes. Consider this: A fifth of those interviewed said the Islamic State ... is a positive influence on the country. And 82 percent said that they believe the Islamic State was created by the United States and its allies."
Are the U.S. and Russia now on the same page about Syria? (15 September 2015) While Putin moves decisively on Syria, the U.S. is holding his coat, says Aaron Miller.
Our High-Priced Mercenaries in Syria (17 September 2015) The cost of all U.S. military operations against the Islamic State has reached over four billion dollars.
After ISIS Killed His Friends, This Guy Founded a Security Firm to Kill ISIS (18 September 2015) In the two years since his last conversation with VICE, VanDyke has seen two of his close friends, James Foley and Steven Sutloff, murdered. He has set up his own private security firm, Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), an organization that is actively fighting ISIS in Iraq, and he`s kickstarted humanitarian projects and trained hundreds of Iraqi militiamen.
U.S. Begins Military Talks With Russia on Syria (18 September 2015) “Given divisions between Moscow and Washington, it’s hard to see how you turn convergence on tactical military issues into a collective and viable political strategy to stabilize Syria and end the war.”
Villages abandoned as Syrians flee northern Aleppo (18 September 2015) Mohammed al-Khatieb reports that "the northern countryside of Aleppo has been emptied as thousands fled to surrounding areas following the intensification of the Islamic State attacks in August."
The Arabic version of this article can be found here: هجمات "داعش" علىريفحلب... نزوحجديدللسكّان
In Syria, many families face a terrible dilemma (20 September 2015) Hassan Hassan on the consequences of the U.S.-led campaign in Syria and how the negative economic effects of coalition airstrikes strengthen ISIL.
100 US-trained fighters enter Aleppo to fight ISIS (21 September 2015) Waves of newly trained rebels will operate in northern Aleppo to join the fight against ISIL.
Syria confirms receipt of Russian jets to target ISIS (22 September 2015) “Air force takes delivery of fighter planes and reconnaissance aircraft, and US officials say Moscow plans to send 2,000 personnel to airbase near Latakia.”
Syrian army uses new Russian jets to strike Islamic State: monitor (24 September 2015) Syrian government forces used newly arrived Russian warplanes to bombard Islamic State insurgents in Aleppo province in northern Syria.
Finding Obama’s missing Syrian fighters (27 September 2015) The Pentagon’s efforts to clarify allegations about U.S.-trained fighters who defected to an al Qaeda affiliate shows just how confused Washington really is.
ISIS wages war: Hundreds of jihadis desert the terror group for rival factions after becoming disillusioned when their pay was cut (29 September 2015) Hundreds of jihadis are leaving Islamic State for other extremist organisations after being forced to take a pay cut of almost £200 by chiefs, it was claimed on Sep. 28, 2015.
An Arabic related article can be found here: مقاتلو “الدولةالإسلامية” يتوجهونإلى “منظماتأخرى”
Meet the American Vigilantes Who Are Fighting ISIS (30 September 2015) A ragtag group of fighters from America and Europe have joined the fight against extremists in Syria. But with little training and no clear leadership, do they know what they’re doing?
Policy and Reports
David Cameron’s fatal mistakes on Syria and ISIS (22 July, 2015)Chris Doyle argues that Cameron’s approach on Syria is aggressive, ill thought-out and based on misguided surface-level assessment of the issue.
No Turkish Safe Zone in Syria (30 July, 2015) The intensification of Turkish military action against the self-proclaimed Islamic State does not equate to an established “safe zone” in Syria, Yezid Sayigh reports.
U.S. shoots down idea of Syria safe zone (28 July, 2015) Josh Rogin argues that after the US and Turkey claim to forge an ISIS-free zone together, there is no safe zone in Syria.
An Intensified Approach to Combatting the Islamic State (6 August 2015) “CNAS CEO Michèle Flournoy and President Richard Fontaine have authored a new policy brief arguing that “current efforts to counter ISIS are not adequate to the task” and that American efforts thus far “convey a sense of creeping incrementalism. The authors make 11 recommendations for actions the United States and its partners should take to make their efforts to counter and ultimately destroy the Islamic State more effective.”
Governing The Caliphate: The Islamic State Picture (21 August 2015) “This article builds a picture of Islamic State governance based on a review of thousands of the group’s videos and communiqués, released by its so-called ministry of media via the group’s official online channels.”
Between ISIS and a failed state: The saga of Libyan Islamists (August 2015) (PDF Format) “Libya’s diverse Islamist actors played a substantial role in the 2011 armed revolution against Moammar Gadhafi and the subsequent collapse of Libya’s democratization process into armed conflict. The advances of ISIS in Libya and the breakdown of Brotherhood electoral activism in neighboring Egypt, however, present an ideological and recruitment challenge to Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi factions”
The Other Foreign Fighters An Open-Source (August 2015) In this report, Nathan Patin shed light on understudied phenomenon, that is the American citizens (roughly 150-200) who travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight against the Islamic State.
Focusing on ISIS’ Sexual Violence Misses the Bigger Picture (26 August 2015) Ariel Ahram criticizes the focus on the abuse of women in ISIS’s territory, which distracts from the larger picture.
A provocative article says the Islamic State is a mystery. Here’s why that’s wrong. (27 August 2015) Costantino Pischedda criticizes labeling the Islamic State as a unique mystery and argues that existing theories on insurgency and terrorism can help us understanding the phenomenon
The Islamic State’s Game in Egypt (30 August 2015) The Islamic State claimed responsibility for last week’s car bomb attack near the national security building in downtown Cairo. The Islamic State seeks to send a strong message to the Egyptian government that, despite the recently-passed terror act, armed resistance to President Sisi’s secular government will continue with full power.
The Strategy Behind the Islamic State’s Destruction of Ancient Sites (31 August 2015) “As it expanded across Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State destroyed many archaeological sites, looting them for profit and damaging some to gain attention. This week, activists and government officials said that the Islamic State had blown up Palmyra`s Temple of Baalshamin, one of the smaller but best-preserved structures at the ancient Roman site.”
How to Destroy Islamic State (and How Not to) (September 2015) (PDF Format) Michael Doran, Michael Pregent, Eric B. Brown & Peter Rough provide lay out "five rules that, if adhered to, can supplant Obama’s fallacies with a deeper understanding of Middle East realities"
“We Will Conquer Your Rome:” A Study of Islamic State Terror Plots in the West" (September 2015) (PDF Format) In this report, Robin Simcox examines which “countries were most commonly targeted; the age; nationality; background; terrorist training and combat experience of the perpetrators; relevance of the Internet; which sectors are most commonly targeted for attack; and assesses the extent to which the Islamic State directed, assisted or simply just inspired these plots.”
The long arm of British law (13 September 2015) In the long war against ISIL, the media campaign is as important as the military one.
Turkey, the Kurds and the Fight Against Islamic State (14 September 2015) In this report, Cale Salih asserts that “while Turkish cooperation is undeniably valuable for the anti-IS coalition, a policy that traded participation against IS for the breakdown of the PKK-Turkey peace process would risk the spill-over of that conflict into northern Syria, weakening one of the coalition’s only effective non-Islamist partners on the ground in northern Syria (the YPG), and making it ever more difficult for the coalition to pull together a coordinated fight against IS”.
Why Isis fights (17 September 2015) This New Guardian report says apocalypse is a big motivation for ISIS fighters.
It`s time to rethink Syria (25 September 2015) Philip Gordon provides his insight into the dramatic developments that have shaped the tragic trajectory of the conflict in Syria.
Russian troops in Syria could end up helping Isis, report claims (25 September 2015) Analysts say involvement ‘underlines contradictions of Kremlin’ as troops are in areas where they are likely to fight groups opposed to Isis
Victims, Perpetrators, Assets: The Narratives of Islamic State Defectors (25 September 2015) (PDF Format) “This report offers a first (and very provisional) insight into the stories of the IS defectors – a new phenomenon that will grow in size and importance as the conflict in Syria and Iraq continues. It provides a compilation of the 58 cases of public defection; a summary of what their testimonies tell us about their reasons for joining and leaving IS;and an assessment of the defectors’ role and potential, as well as recommendations for how their voices can be amplified.”
Economy and Agriculture
Is ISIL running out of oil? (19 July, 2015) "Fighters may lost Iraq`s Beiji refinery, but they still control a number of oil wells and continue to exploit them."
Iraq`s Economy Battered by Islamic State War, Low Oil Prices (18 August, 2015) As the country battles the Islamic State group on the ground, it faces massive budget deficits brought on by the lowest global oil prices in six-and-a-half years.
What Syrian antiquities reveal about Islamic State’s billion-dollar economy (25 August, 2015) The Islamic State`s pursuit of Syrian antiquities doesn`t point to economic weakness but rather the diversity of ways that the group can raise big money.
Inside the financial structure of the Islamic State (28 August, 2015) “The “Islamic State" has managed to build a murderous empire through both criminal enterprise and implementing traditional Islamic economic concepts and systems”.
Islamic State: Where does jihadist group get its support? (1 September, 2014) To understand how the Islamic State economy functions is to delve into a murky world of middlemen and shady business dealings, in which "loyal ideologues" on differing sides spot business opportunities and pounce upon them.
The ISIS Economy: Crushing Taxes and High Unemployment (2 September, 2015) “Only the air people breathe is not taxed,” says Abu Mujahed, adding that the cost of utilities like water and electricity has soared under ISIS rule. Activists say ISIS’s economic persecution is a deliberate tactic to force people to capitulate and support the extremists.
Officials deny Syria oil field captured by ISIS (8 September, 2015) “Syria government officials have denied that ISIS fighters captured an oil field which a monitoring group reported had been seized from government forces.”
A similar news article can be found in Arabic here:«داعش» يسيطرعلىأجزاءمنحقلجزلالنفطيالسوري
Documentaries, Special Reports, and Other Media
Living with IS `nothing but pain, rape and war` (14 July, 2015) Three Yazidi girls who were held captive by Islamic State (IS) group told schoolchildren in the UK of their experiences. One explained that living with IS was "nothing but pain, rape, and war."
The Yazidi women held as sex slaves by IS (15 July, 2015) It is almost a year since thousands of Yazidis fled to Mount Sinjar, in northern Iraq, as Islamic State fighters entered their villages. This video sheds lights on the stories of three survivors.
Victims of ISIL attack in Turkey in personal stories (21 July, 2015) These photos share stories of the victims of the Suruc massacre.
IS Uses Chemical Weapons in Syrian Attack (22 July, 2015) Islamic State militants have added a new weapon in their arsenal of fear: chemical weapons. VOA Kurdish service reporter Zana Omer was on the scene within hours of a recent attack in Hasakah, Syria, and has details of the subsequent investigation, in this report narrated by Miguel Amaya.
The Girls Who Fled To Syria: Groomed By The Islamic State (1 August, 2015) “In February 2015, three teenage schoolgirls left the comfort of their homes in East London and traveled to Syria to join the self-styled Islamic State (IS). Around 60 women and girls are thought to have made the same journey from Britain...VICE News gained intimate access to the father of one girl, Amira, and joined him as he dealt with the press and parliament to find out what it`s like for those left behind by the tragic choices of their loved ones.”
مهربونيساعدونأيزيدياتعلىالفرارمنتنظيم "الدولةالإسلامية" (August 18, 2015) Hundreds of Yazidi women captured by IS have been freed thanks to an international network of smugglers run by the businessman.
Archaeologist Works To Track The Islamic State`s War On Culture (31 August, 2015) “NPR`s Robert Siegel talks to archaeologist Michael Danti, who is tracking the cultural heritage sites and artifacts in Palmyra, Syria, that may soon be lost forever at the hands of ISIS.”
New ISIS in Sinai video documents use of advanced weaponry (2 September, 2015) A new video released by “State of Sinai”, the peninsula’s “Islamic State”-affiliated militant group, documents a number of sophisticated operations on Egyptian army targets and appears to show the group’s capacity to move with alarming freedom through areas of North Sinai.
Al-Qaida, the Islamic State, and the future of the global jihadi movement (16 September, 2015) On Wednesday, September 16, the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted Ambassador Tina Kaidanow, ambassador-at-large and coordinator for counterterrorism at the U.S. State Department, for a conversation on the current state of al-Qaida and what the rise of the Islamic State means for the future of the global jihadist movement. Ambassador Kaidanow was joined in the discussion by Brookings scholars Daniel Byman of the Center for Middle East Policy, whose new book ‘Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and the Global Jihadist Movement: What Everyone Needs to Know’ ”
Inside the Islamic State kidnap machine (22 September, 2015) Kidnapping generated $25m for Islamic State last year, according to one US intelligence estimate. It`s also a powerful propaganda tool. The business relies on spies, informers, kidnappers, jailers and negotiators who arrange the deals when a captive is released. Syrian journalist Omar Al-Maqdud went to meet some of those who have been involved.
An Arabic related article can be found here: وثائقيبيبيسي: صناعةالخطفلدىتنظيمالدولةالإسلامية
The ISIS apocalypse: The history, strategy, and doomsday vision of the Islamic State (22 September, 2015) In his newly-released book, “The ISIS Apocalypse” (St. Martin’s Press, 2015), Will McCants examines the Islamic State’s tactics and goals, and the many ways in which it is more ruthless, more apocalyptic, and more devoted to state-building than any of its predecessors or current competitors.”
Inside The Islamic State`s Apocalyptic Beliefs (26 September, 2015) An interview with Will McCants, who is director of the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at the Brookings Institution think tank, on the apocalyptic views of the Islamic State and hese views have shaped the growth of the Islamic State.
Conflict Antiquities Symposium (29 September, 2015) “In the context of ongoing destruction and looting of cultural heritage in the Middle East, an event titled “Conflict Antiquities: Forging a Public/Private Response to Save the Endangered Patrimony of Iraq and Syria” was held by the U.S. Department of State and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on September 29, 2015 amid the United Nations General Assembly week.”
Tracing The Origins Of The Islamic State (30 September, 2015) “Host Renee Montagne talks with Washington Post reporter Joby Warrick about his new book, "Black Flags," on the origins of the Islamic State.”
Maps
ISIS-Linked Regional Activity: August 2015 ISIS increased its terrorism campaigns in Egypt and Saudi Arabia in August 2015, demonstrating its ability to penetrate well-protected cities and strike government targets. ISIS also increased its operational presence in Yemen, taking advantage of AQAP`s focus on fighting the al-Houthis. ISIS-linked activity in Tunisia and Indonesia suggests that they represent new growth areas for ISIS`s global campaign. The confirmed death of Mullah Omar will likely enhance ISIS`s outreach efforts globally as well as accelerate its local campaign in Afghanistan.
ISIS-Linked Regional Activity: September 2015 ISIS has established robust ground campaigns in Libya, Egypt, and Afghanistan. ISIS also continues to expand outward, as reflected in its new activity in Bangladesh and Russia`s Caucasus. ISIS may increase its activity in the Near Abroad in order to compensate for anticipated losses in Syria due to Russian intervention. ISIS will also seek to pressure Russia and possibly Iran over the next month as they escalate activity in Syria and Iraq.
Arabic:
كيفصُنعتداعش؟ | أربعدقائقمعجلبيرأشقر
(2 July, 2015) Gilbert Achcar provides his insight into how ISIS was formed.
بالصور..داعشيضع 7 شروطصارمةلخروجالمرأةمنبيتها
(16 July, 2015) This article discusses recent Da`ash signboards in Libya that police women`s appearance in public places.
لبنان: تراجععددمسلحي «داعش» و«النصرة» إلى 700
(22 July, 2015) This article states that ISIS and al-Nusra Front lost many fighters in Lebanon who escaped from the eastern Lebanese-Syrian border area after Hezbollah tightened siege on the Syrian side of Tmrkzhma areas, and colliding Lebanese army from the Lebanese side.
صورةمسربةمنمبايعةلداعش.. تكشفهويةالزعيموالأميرالشرعي
(23 July, 2015) A new collection of photos that documents Alambayaat to Da`ash in southern Damascus reveals the true identity of one of Da`ash`s leaders who was released by the Syrian regime in March 2012 from Sednaya prison.
داعشيشنحملاتتفتيشعلىمقاهيالإنترنتفيالرقة
(24 July, 2015) ISIS launches a new campaign that restricts Internet use in the public and private spaces of Al-Raqqah.
خالدالأسعدشهيداعلىمذبحتدمر: آثاروداعشونظام
(26 August 2015) Syria Untold reports on the reaction of Syrians following the execution of Khaled al-As`ad at the hands of ISIS in Palmyra and how they perceive the relationship between ISIS, the Syrian regime and archaeology.
المقاتلاتالتركيةتقصفلأولمرةأهدافالتنظيم "الدولةالإسلامية" فيسوريا
(29 August 2015) Turkish jets took part in U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and hit ISIS targets in Syria.
شابيغامربحياتهلتصويرجهادييتنظيم "الدولةالإسلامية" فيالرقة
(4 September 2015) A Syrian activist that use the fake name "Abu Sham Al-Raqqah" on social media risks his life while documenting ISIS in Al-Raqqah.
“مجموعةالموت” انشقتعن “داعش” ونفذتاغتيالًافيحماة
(6 September 2015) A violent group that names itself "the secret death group" executed an explosion in Hama city on Sept 5th. The group is speculated to be a split off ISIS.
فرنساتستبعدالتدخلالبريفيسورياوتقررإرسالطائراتاستطلاع
(7 September 2015) François Hollande, president of France, announced that his country will send reconnaissance planes over Syria against ISIS.
(8 September 2015) A young Yazidi woman, Jinan Badl, who was an ISIS Sabbieh, refused an asylum from France and decided to go back to Kurdistan.
“داعش” يقفعاجزاً أمامعاصفةغباريةتضربالرقة
(9 September 2015) Raqqa is Being Slaughtered website criticizes the ways in which ISIS respond it to the recent sandstorm that affected Syria.
تنَظيمُ الدّولةِالإسلامِيّة، بورتريهذاتي: ماذانجدُ في “دابق”، مجلَّةِ الدولةِ الإسلاميّة؟
(17 September 2015) Louise Plun discusses the meanings of concepts that ISIS uses in its ideology and recruitment strategies.
تنظيم "الدولةالاسلامية" يدعواللاجئينإلىالهجرةللمناطقالتييسيطرعليها
(19 September 2015) ISIS published a series of video clips urges Muslims to stop migration to Europe, calling them to move to the "Caliphate State".
تقرير: الجنودالروسيرفضونإرسالهمللقتالفيسوريا
(24 September 2015) According to a lawyer, a group of Russian soldiers refused to obey military orders to go to Syria to take part in the fighting there.
الهروبمنحكم "الدولةالإسلامية" فيسوريا
(24 September 2015) BBC interview a young Syrian man who has recently left ISIS-controlled Al-Raqqa city. He shares insights about ISIS governing.
An English version of this article can be found here: Migrant crisis: Fleeing life under Islamic State in Syria
وزارةالدفاعالروسية: سفنحربيةروسيةستجريتدريباتشرقالمتوسط
(24 September 2015) Syrian army use for the first time Russian drones.
مستشارةالأسدلـCNN: روسيالاتملكتاريخااستعماريا.. وكانعليكمالاستماعلنافي 2011
(29 September 2015) In an interview with CNN’s Hala Gorani, Syrian official Bouthaina Shaaban says Syria is ready to work with the U.S., but warns against any "act of aggression” by the U.S.
An English related article can be found here: CNN`s Hala Gorani speaks to Assad adviser about Obama`s ISIS speech, strategy
انفوغرافيكيوضحلباستنظيم “داعش” ودلالتهحسباللونوالشكلمنإعدادفريقي “الرقةتذبحبصمت” و “صوتوصورة”
(29 September 2015)
This infographic shows the meanings of ISIS clothes according to color and style.
Books and Publications
The Islamic State`s (ISIS, ISIL) Magazine: Dabiq “All of the issues of the Islamic State`s glossy propaganda magazine `Dabiq,` named after a key site in Muslim apocalypse mythology can be found here.”
Or you can download the last issue (Issue 11) from here: Islamic State (ISIS) Magazine: Dabiq- The Laws of All or the Laws of Men- (Issue 11) (PDF file)
“The eleventh issue of the Islamic State’s propaganda magazine is called From the Battle of Al-Ahzab to the War of Coalitions. Al-Ahzab refers to a battle in the Quran between a coalition of Meccan tribes and the nascent forces of Islam. ISIS attacks al-Qaeda and castigates the Taliban for concealing the death of Mullah Omar. ISIS also accuses the Shiite messiah (Mahdi) of being the dajjal (devil) in league with the Jews. More is directed at women, who are urged to have children and care for their jihadi husbands. ISIS also tout their establishment of gold dinars as currency and boast of having captured a Norwegian and a Chinese hostage, who are offered up for ransom in full page adverts.”
The Crisis of the Arab State (11 August 2015) (PDF Format) “The report gives an overview of the discussion, including common themes, areas of consensus, and unique insights, which will serve to illuminate further investigation of these critical concepts, even as the Middle East continues to change and evolve”.
The Evolution in Islamic State Administration: The Documentary Evidence (August 2015) In this paper Aymenn al-Tamimi traces the development in Islamic State administration from the establishment of the Islamic State of Iraq in 2006 until the present day. The paper draws on rare primary sources to explain the growing sophistication in the group’s governance structures. The current bureaucratic system has reached a level of complexity and professionalism that probably makes the Islamic State sustainable, even under containment, provided it maintains control of its strongholds.
The believer: How an introvert became the leader of the Islamic State (September 2015) William McCants tackles the story of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ruler of the Islamic State or ISIS.
A free eBook version of this essay is available for download on Amazon
The Arabic version of this article can be found here: المؤمن: كيفأصبحشخصانطوائي، شغفهالدينوكرةالقدم، أبابكرالبغداديزعيمالدولةالإسلامية
ISIS, Heritage, and the Spectacles of Destruction in the Global Media (September 2015) This paper focuses on ISIS`s recent destruction of archaeological heritage in Iraq and its (self-) representation in the global media. It is argued that the Islamic State`s destruction of archaeological sites and museums as well as historical monuments and local shrines can be seen as a form of place-based violence that aims to annihilate the local sense of belonging, and the collective sense of memory among local communities, to whom the heritage belongs.
Perspectives on Terrorism Vol 9, No 4 (2015) Special issue on the Islamic State provides 14 research articles on various aspects of the organization, in addition to an extensive, specially compiled bibliography on IS.
Mining for Causal Relationships: A Data-Driven Study of the Islamic State This paper presents a data-driven approach to analyzing ISIS using a dataset consisting of 2200 incidents of military activity surrounding ISIS and the forces that oppose it (including Iraqi, Syrian, and the American-led coalition.