Thursday, March 17, 2016

The Islamic State Is Losing Territory


Henry Johnson, Foreign Policy: Mapped: The Islamic State Is Losing Its Territory — and Fast

At the end of 2014, the Islamic State controlled one-third of Iraq and one-third of Syria — a land mass roughly equal to the area of Great Britain — where the extremist group ruled over upward of 9 million people.

Less than two years later, the self-proclaimed caliphate has lost 22 percent of that territory, according to a report published this week by IHS Jane’s 360, a defense analysis think tank.

The Islamic State surrendered more than half of that territory — 14 percent — last year and 2016 has already proven crippling. According to IHS Jane’s, after Kurds and a small number of moderate Arab rebels ousted the Islamic State from the northern Syria border town of Tal Abyad, the extremists have struggled to balance their budget. Tal Abyad had long served as a gateway for supplies and recruits from Turkey to the Islamic State’s de facto capital in Raqqa.

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More News On The Islamic State Losing Territory

Islamic State militants 'lose 22%' of territory -- BBC
IS lost a fifth of its territory since January 2015: analysts -- AFP
The Islamic State has lost more than a fifth of its territory, says report -- Washington Post
ISIS loses ten per cent of its territory in just three months despite U.S.-led warplanes dropping fewer bombs on Iraq and Syria -- Daily Mail
Under Military Pressure, Islamic State Lost 22 Percent of Territory in 15 Months -- VOA
Islamic State loses 22 per cent of territory -- IHS Jane's 360
Analysis: Major losses of territory in Syria, Iraq shows Islamic State in decline -- UPI

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