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| | '''Islamic State''' (IS) (also known as '''Islamic State of Iraq and Syria''' (ISIS)<ref>http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/iraq-christians-told-convert-face-death-2014718111040982432.html</ref> or 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL), as referred by Barack Obama or 'Daesh', as referred by [[John Kerry]]), is a terrorist organization that operates in [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]. Founded by [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]], it grew out of [[al Qaeda]] in Iraq.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/10/229948/some-answers-about-the-islamic.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter</ref> It was founded during the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] of 2003. Its current leader is [[Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi]]. IS currently fights non-Muslims, Shiite Muslims, the Iraqi Army and Kurdish [[Peshmerga]] troops.<ref>http://www.euronews.com/2014/08/12/kurdish-peshmerga-troops-plead-for-weapons-to-fight-islamic-state-militants/</ref> The goal of IS is to construct an Islamic Caliphate in Syria and Iraq.<ref>http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/0623/Briefing-What-is-the-Islamic-State-In-Iraq-and-the-Levant-ISIS</ref> By March 2019, the Islamic State had lost all the territory it had conquered. | | '''Islamic State''' (IS) (also known as '''Islamic State of Iraq and Syria''' (ISIS)<ref>http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/iraq-christians-told-convert-face-death-2014718111040982432.html</ref> or 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL), as referred by Barack Obama or 'Daesh', as referred by [[John Kerry]]), is a terrorist organization that operates in [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]. Founded by [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]], it grew out of [[al Qaeda]] in Iraq.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/10/229948/some-answers-about-the-islamic.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter</ref> It was founded during the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] of 2003. Its current leader is [[Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi]]. IS currently fights non-Muslims, Shiite Muslims, the Iraqi Army and Kurdish [[Peshmerga]] troops.<ref>http://www.euronews.com/2014/08/12/kurdish-peshmerga-troops-plead-for-weapons-to-fight-islamic-state-militants/</ref> The goal of IS is to construct an Islamic Caliphate in Syria and Iraq.<ref>http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/0623/Briefing-What-is-the-Islamic-State-In-Iraq-and-the-Levant-ISIS</ref> By March 2019, the Islamic State had lost all the territory it had conquered. |
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| − | [[Ramzan Kadyrov]], ([[Chechnya]]), 38, said the U.S. secretly controls the Islamic State.<ref>[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/putin-points-muslim-rage-cold-210000968.html Putin Points Muslim Rage at Cold War Foes.]</ref> Documents obtained by a FOIA request of [[Judicial Watch]] show as early as 2012, U.S. intelligence predicted the rise of the Islamic State and the report envisions the terror group as a U.S. strategic asset in the fight against Bashar al-Assad.<ref>[http://patdollard.com/2015/05/exposed-2012-defense-dept-documents-reveal-obama-regime-sought-to-create-an-islamic-state/ EXPOSED: 2012 Defense Dept. Documents Reveal Obama Regime Sought To Create An “Islamic State” In Syria And Iraq, PatDollard.com, May 22, 2015]</ref> VP [[Joe Biden]] admitted in 2014 that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Turkey had funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to Islamist rebels in Syria. Biden was forced to retract that statement.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/unitedarabemirates/11142683/Joe-Biden-forced-to-apologise-to-UAE-and-Turkey-over-Syria-remarks.html Joe Biden forced to apologise to UAE and Turkey over Syria remarks, ''The Telegraph'', October 6, 2014]</ref> The U.S. did precisely the same thing in terms of supplying and facilitating the Syrian opposition. Obama had requested $500 million to train fighters opposed to ISIS. In August, the Pentagon announced it would defend those forces from attacks by the Syrian government.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-to-defend-new-syria-force-from-assad-regime-others-1438549937 U.S. to Defend New Syria Force From Assad Regime, WSJ, August 2, 2015]</ref> | + | [[Ramzan Kadyrov]], ([[Chechnya]]), 38, said the U.S. secretly controls the Islamic State.<ref>[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/putin-points-muslim-rage-cold-210000968.html Putin Points Muslim Rage at Cold War Foes.]</ref> Documents obtained by a FOIA request of [[Judicial Watch]] show as early as 2012, U.S. intelligence predicted the rise of the Islamic State and the report envisions the terror group as a U.S. strategic asset in the fight against Bashar al-Assad.<ref>[http://patdollard.com/2015/05/exposed-2012-defense-dept-documents-reveal-obama-regime-sought-to-create-an-islamic-state/ EXPOSED: 2012 Defense Dept. Documents Reveal Obama Regime Sought To Create An “Islamic State” In Syria And Iraq, PatDollard.com, May 22, 2015]</ref> VP [[Joe Biden]] admitted in 2014 that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Turkey had funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to Islamist rebels in Syria. Biden was forced to retract that statement.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/unitedarabemirates/11142683/Joe-Biden-forced-to-apologise-to-UAE-and-Turkey-over-Syria-remarks.html Joe Biden forced to apologise to UAE and Turkey over Syria remarks, ''The Telegraph'', October 6, 2014]</ref> The U.S. did precisely the same thing in terms of supplying and facilitating the Syrian opposition. Obama had requested $500 million to train fighters opposed to ISIS. In August, the Pentagon announced it would defend those forces from attacks by the Syrian government.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-to-defend-new-syria-force-from-assad-regime-others-1438549937 U.S. to Defend New Syria Force From Assad Regime, WSJ, August 2, 2015]</ref> |
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| | Turkey's president [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|Erdogan]] has good relations with Barack Obama and they both support Assad's ouster from Syria. Turkey is a major transit point for both foreign fighters and weapons, which makes both presidents complicit in the failure to stop fighters from joining ISIS ranks. | | Turkey's president [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|Erdogan]] has good relations with Barack Obama and they both support Assad's ouster from Syria. Turkey is a major transit point for both foreign fighters and weapons, which makes both presidents complicit in the failure to stop fighters from joining ISIS ranks. |
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| | ==Syria and Iraq== | | ==Syria and Iraq== |
| − | ISIS has been fighting in the [[Syrian Civil War]] against [[Bashar al-Assad]] and is known for killing [[Christians in Syria]]. An estimated 5,000 Yazidis have been killed by ISIS in a genocide.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news|last1=Hopkins|first1=Steve|title=Full horror of the Yazidis who didn’t escape Mount Sinjar: UN confirms 5,000 men were executed and 7,000 women are now kept as sex slaves|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2792552/full-horror-yazidis-didn-t-escape-mount-sinjar-confirms-5-000-men-executed-7-000-women-kept-sex-slaves.html|publisher=''The [[Daily Mail]]''|date=14 October 2014|location=London}}</ref><ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/majid-rafizadeh/killings-of-christians-by-islamists-doubled-in-2013/</ref> | + | ISIS has been fighting in the [[Syrian Civil War]] against [[Bashar al-Assad]] and is known for killing [[Christians in Syria]]. An estimated 5,000 Yazidis have been killed by ISIS in a genocide.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news|last1=Hopkins|first1=Steve|title=Full horror of the Yazidis who didn’t escape Mount Sinjar: UN confirms 5,000 men were executed and 7,000 women are now kept as sex slaves|url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2792552/full-horror-yazidis-didn-t-escape-mount-sinjar-confirms-5-000-men-executed-7-000-women-kept-sex-slaves.html|publisher=''The [[Daily Mail]]''|date=14 October 2014|location=London}}</ref><ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/majid-rafizadeh/killings-of-christians-by-islamists-doubled-in-2013/</ref> |
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| | In 2014 IS took control of the Iraqi cities of [[Fallujah]] and [[Mosul]]. Since then Christians in Mosul have to pay "Protection taxes" for their [[faith]].<ref>http://www.aina.org/news/20140627135156.htm</ref> In 2015 IS defeated Iraqi troops and seized the city of Ramadi. IS now controls all the border areas between Syria and Iraqi. | | In 2014 IS took control of the Iraqi cities of [[Fallujah]] and [[Mosul]]. Since then Christians in Mosul have to pay "Protection taxes" for their [[faith]].<ref>http://www.aina.org/news/20140627135156.htm</ref> In 2015 IS defeated Iraqi troops and seized the city of Ramadi. IS now controls all the border areas between Syria and Iraqi. |
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| | Islamic State fighters fired on a Turkish border outpost in the Kilis region, killing one Turkish soldier and wounding five. | | Islamic State fighters fired on a Turkish border outpost in the Kilis region, killing one Turkish soldier and wounding five. |
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| − | Istanbul suicide bomber who blew himself up in Sultanahmet square near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, killing 11 tourists.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3397116/Turkey-arrests-three-Russians-links-ISIS-suicide-bomb-killed-ten-tourists-Istanbul.html#ixzz3xGUQzjys Face of a killer: Turkish police release first mugshot of the Istanbul ISIS bomber, Dailymail.co.uk, January 13, 2016]</ref> | + | Istanbul suicide bomber who blew himself up in Sultanahmet square near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, killing 11 tourists.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3397116/Turkey-arrests-three-Russians-links-ISIS-suicide-bomb-killed-ten-tourists-Istanbul.html#ixzz3xGUQzjys Face of a killer: Turkish police release first mugshot of the Istanbul ISIS bomber, Dailymail.co.uk, January 13, 2016]</ref> |
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| | Islamic State terrorists from Eastern Europe blew up the airport in Istanbul leaving 45 people dead. | | Islamic State terrorists from Eastern Europe blew up the airport in Istanbul leaving 45 people dead. |
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| | January 7, 2016, ISIS attacks the western city of Zliten with car bombs, killing 60 people.<ref>[http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2016/01/14/isis-makes-inroads-in-libya?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr ISIS Makes Inroads In Libya, WBUR.org, January 14, 2016]</ref> | | January 7, 2016, ISIS attacks the western city of Zliten with car bombs, killing 60 people.<ref>[http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2016/01/14/isis-makes-inroads-in-libya?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr ISIS Makes Inroads In Libya, WBUR.org, January 14, 2016]</ref> |
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| − | January 17, 2016, the coastal town of Bin Jawad became the fourth to fall into ISIS control.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3403911/ISIS-militants-parade-severed-heads-Mediterranean-coast-town-Bin-Jawad-fourth-fall-militants-Libya.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline]</ref> | + | January 17, 2016, the coastal town of Bin Jawad became the fourth to fall into ISIS control.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3403911/ISIS-militants-parade-severed-heads-Mediterranean-coast-town-Bin-Jawad-fourth-fall-militants-Libya.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline]</ref> |
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| | ==Afghanistan== | | ==Afghanistan== |
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| | ===Germany=== | | ===Germany=== |
| − | An axe-wielding Muslim Afghan refugee attacks passengers on a German train injuring 4 people before being shot dead.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36827725 Germany axe attack: Assault on train in Wuerzburg injures HK family]</ref> | + | An axe-wielding Muslim Afghan refugee attacks passengers on a German train injuring 4 people before being shot dead.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36827725 Germany axe attack: Assault on train in Wuerzburg injures HK family]</ref> |
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| | A Syrian suicide bomber injured 15 people through a suicide attack in [[Ansbach]] on July 24, 2016.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jul/25/ansbach-explosion-german-town-deliberate-blast-latest]</ref> | | A Syrian suicide bomber injured 15 people through a suicide attack in [[Ansbach]] on July 24, 2016.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jul/25/ansbach-explosion-german-town-deliberate-blast-latest]</ref> |