The Islamic State War -- News Updates March 20, 2015

The Economist: The war against Islamic State

The caliphate cracks

Though Islamic State is still spreading terror, its weaknesses are becoming apparent

WHEN the jihadists of Islamic State (IS) seized Mosul and the Iraqi army fled last June, they became the world’s most dangerous terrorist organisation. Sweeping out of Syria and north-western Iraq, they stormed southward, and came close to taking Baghdad. They murdered male prisoners in gory videos and enslaved female ones. Groups from Nigeria to Libya and Afghanistan pledged allegiance to them. Devotees attacked innocent civilians in Western cities; this week at least 19 people were killed in an assault on tourists in Tunisia (though the culprits are unknown). The IS threat has pushed together unlikely allies: in Iraq America provides the air power while Iran musters the ground forces.

The Islamic State War -- News Updates March 20, 2015

Yemen Division of Islamic State Claims Suicide Bomb Attacks That Killed Scores -- WSJ
Yemen's Islamic State affiliate claims Sanaa attacks -- AP
Islamic State claims suicide attacks in Sana’a mosques -- Long War Journal
142 dead in Yemen mosque bombings claimed by Islamic State -- Straits Times
White House disputes Islamic State claims for suicide attacks on Yemeni mosques -- AP

Islamic State video purports to show Kurdish peshmerga beheadings -- Reuters
Islamic State video appears to show beheadings of 3 Kurdish fighters -- L.A. Times
ISIS behead three Peshmerga soldiers as a warning to their sworn enemies on Kurdish New Year -- Daily Mail

Car bombs kill 20 at Syrian Kurdish new year celebration -- Reuters
Suicide bomber kills 20 at Syria Kurdish festival -- AFP

‘Islamic State’ Claims Responsibility for Tunisia Attack -- VOA
White House says attacks in Tunisia are 'consistent' with Islamic State violence -- Reuters
Islamic State Find Allies Among Tunisia Militants -- AP

Islamic State Rises in Libya -- Washington Free Beacon
Libya Army chief warns IS will spread to Europe -- AP
Libya ISIS Crisis: 45,000 Egyptian Immigrants Flee Over Islamic State Threat, Political Turmoil -- IBTimes

More and More Killer Drones Take Aim at Islamic State‘s Bosses -- War Is Boring
U.S., allies launch eight airstrikes against Islamic State: task force -- Reuters
Attacks on Islamic State in Syrian Town Show Mounting Resistance -- Bloomberg
Islamic State Propaganda Video Showing ‘Army of Hardness’ Doing Drills Also Captures Major Goof -- The Blaze
Iraq drops hundreds of thousands of leaflets on Mosul promising liberation -- Washington Post

UN: Islamic State may have committed genocide against Yazidis in Iraq -- The Guardian
Islamic State group may be guilty of genocide, UN says -- France 24
UN: Islamic State suspected of genocide, war crimes against Yazidis -- Deutsche Welle
Islamic State suspected of genocide against Yazidis, says UN -- CSM

New global grouping meets to counter Islamic State finances -- Reuters
Italy hosts meeting to combat Islamic State group financing -- AP
New International Group Aims to Stop Islamic State Financing -- WSJ

EU, Balkan states move to stem flow of fighters joining jihad -- Irish Times
‘Perfect Storm’ for British Teenagers Lured by Islamic State -- Newsweek
Why US veterans are heading off to fight the Islamic State on their own -- Anna Mulrine

New Islamic State weapon: chlorine gas -- Military Times
Did ISIS use chlorine gas? -- Middle East Monitor

Sustaining a caliphate turns out to be much harder than declaring one. But Islamic State is not dead yet -- The Economist
Life under Isis: As long as its enemies remain divided the militants will not be defeated -- Patrick Cockburn, The Independent