Islamic State
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by JoeyJ (talk | contribs) at 19:30, August 14, 2014. It may differ significantly from current revision.
Islamic State (IS) (formerly known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS)[1]) is a terrorist organization that operates in Iraq and Syria. Founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, it grew out of al Qaeda in Iraq[2] and the former name ISIS has been used since its split and rebuke by al Qaeda commanders in April 2013[3] for excess brutality. Its current leader is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. IS currently fights non-Muslims, the Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga troops.[4]
It has been fighting in the Syrian Civil War against Bashar al-Assad and is known for killing Christians in Syria.[5]
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.[6]
References
- ↑ http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/iraq-christians-told-convert-face-death-2014718111040982432.html
- ↑ http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/10/229948/some-answers-about-the-islamic.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24179084
- ↑ http://www.euronews.com/2014/08/12/kurdish-peshmerga-troops-plead-for-weapons-to-fight-islamic-state-militants/
- ↑ http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/majid-rafizadeh/killings-of-christians-by-islamists-doubled-in-2013/
- ↑ http://www.aina.org/news/20140627135156.htm