Updated April 26, 2018
The Islamic State
The Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the
intelligence officials judge that Al Qaeda remains “a major
Arabic acronym Da’esh) is a transnational Sunni Islamist
actor in global terrorism.”
insurgent and terrorist group with a few thousand remaining
The Domestic Threat
fighters in Iraq and Syria and an unknown number of
U.S. officials consider the Islamic State a direct threat to
supporters in other countries. Since late 2017, U.S. military
U.S. and allied interests overseas and in December 2017
officials have stated that the Islamic State has lost
acknowledged the group’s likely desire and capacity to
approximately 98 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq
inspire attacks inside the United States. The December
and Syria. This has changed the nature of related threats,
2015 shooting attack in San Bernardino, California, and the
prompting some reconsideration of U.S. approaches.
June 2016 shooting in Orlando, Florida were attributed to
The Islamic State’s forerunner was the late Abu Musab al
purported IS supporters who have not been reported to have
Zarqawi’s organization in Iraq, which became Al Qaeda in
operational links to the organization. U.S. intelligence
Iraq (AQI) and later the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). After
officials reported in February 2018 that the group “almost
expanding into war-torn Syria in 2013, the group declared
certainly will continue to give priority to transnational
the establishment of a “caliphate” in June 2014 and
terrorist attacks,” and that “U.S.-based homegrown violent
changed its name to “the Islamic State.” After IS leaders
extremists (HVEs) will remain the most prevalent Sunni
claimed several attacks in the Middle East and Europe, U.S.
violent extremist threat in the United States.”
officials publicly described the group as having embraced
Strategy to Counter the Islamic State
an “external operations agenda.” U.S. officials judge that
The Trump Administration has reviewed and amended U.S.
the group has either directed or inspired terrorist attacks
plans to defeat the Islamic State in its areas of control in
globally, including in the United States.
Iraq and Syria. U.S. strategy leverages the contributions of
In February 2018, the U.S. intelligence community assessed
multinational and local partner forces to reduce the
that “ISIS core has started—and probably will maintain—a
geographic and political space, manpower, and financial
robust insurgency in Iraq and Syria as part of a long-term
resources available to the Islamic State. U.S. intelligence
strategy to ultimately enable the reemergence of its so-
officials cite IS territorial losses, force attrition, and reduced
called caliphate.” U.S. intelligence officials expect that the
recruiting as indicators of the group’s decline, but warn of
group is “likely to focus on regrouping in Iraq and Syria,
its potential resilience and the potentially high costs of
enhancing its global presence, championing its cause,
long-term efforts to stabilize liberated areas. Congress
planning international attacks, and encouraging its members
continues to review and require updates of the
and sympathizers to attack in their home countries.”
Administration’s strategy and plans. The U.S.-led coalition
Groups Affiliated with the Islamic State
has pursued a range of measures, including:
Since 2014, some armed groups have recognized the
Military Operations. U.S. and coalition forces’ operations
Islamic State and pledged loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al
against IS forces have declined in intensity and frequency
Baghdadi. Groups in Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia,
since September 2017, reflecting the end of major combat
Libya, Afghanistan, and Nigeria have used the Arabic word
operations in Iraq and the isolation of remaining IS fighters
“wilayah” (state/province) to describe themselves as
in remote areas of Syria.
constituent members of a broader IS-led caliphate. Their
Syria. On October 17, 2017, U.S. military officials
objectives, tactics, and leadership structures vary and are
announced that U.S.-backed forces had completed their
evolving over time. U.S. intelligence officials expect the
operation to retake the IS self-declared capital at Raqqah. In
group to seek to leverage the capabilities and operations of
2018, coalition operations continued against IS remnants in
its affiliates to demonstrate resilience in the coming year.
eastern Syria. In areas closer to the Iraq-Syria border,
The Split with Al Qaeda
operations have brought Syrian government forces and their
Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri publicly severed ties
allies closer to U.S. forces and U.S. partners, resulting in at
with the Islamic State in February 2014, citing brutal IS
least one instance of armed confrontation. Administration
tactics, infighting between the Islamic State and other Sunni
officials emphasize that the primary purpose of U.S.
groups, and a long-running dispute over areas of operation.
operations in Syria is the defeat of the Islamic State.
At the time, IS leaders said their organization “is not and
Iraq. In December 2017, Iraqi leaders proclaimed victory in
has never been an offshoot of Al Qaeda,” and described
their U.S.-backed military campaign against the Islamic
previous IS conduct toward Al Qaeda as deference rather
State after recapturing territory near the Syrian border and
than obedience. Media reports and third-party analyses have
sweeping desert areas in western Anbar Province. Millions
explored competition between the Islamic State and Al
of displaced Iraqi civilians have begun to return home.
Qaeda for prominence and support, but it is unclear if Al
Stabilization efforts are underway but are challenged in
Qaeda will directly benefit from the stark reversal of the
some areas by insecurity, costs, and unexploded ordnance.
Islamic State’s fortunes in its main areas of operation. U.S.
Firm U.S. and Iraqi plans for continued U.S. training and
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The Islamic State
support for Iraqi counterterrorism operations are not
FY2016 and FY2017 funding to provide nonlethal support
expected until after Iraqis form a new government based on
to vetted, moderate armed opposition groups, other
the result of May 2018 national elections.
opposition actors, and communities in opposition-held areas
Training, Equipping, and Advising Partner Forces.
of Syria. The Trump Administration requested $191.5
Syria. Since late 2015, U.S. Special Operations Forces
million in Overseas Contingency Operation funding for
personnel have been deployed in northern Syria, acting
State Department-administered programs in Syria for
primarily in an advisory and planning capacity with the
FY2018, including $150 million in Economic Support and
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of Syrian
Development Fund (ESDF)-OCO monies. Section 7041(k)
Kurdish and non-Kurdish forces. The U.S. military directly
of Division K of P.L. 115-141 allows certain accounts to
fund “
supplies and advises the SDF, working closely with it to
non-lethal assistance for programs to address the
retake territory from the Islamic State in north-east Syria.
needs of civilians affected by conflict in Syria” but does not
As of December 2017, U.S. and coalition personnel had
specify an amount for these programs. The explanatory
trained more than 12,500 fighters and delivered weaponry
statement accompanying the appropriations act limits the
and ammunition for more than 40,000 partner personnel.
use of funds for non-lethal assistance programs to “areas
U.S. advisers have worked with Arab anti-IS forces in At
not controlled by the Government of Syria.” For FY2019,
Tanf, near the Jordanian border. As of late 2017, an
the Trump Administration seeks a further $174.5 million in
estimated 2,000 U.S. personnel were in Syria. President
ESDF and demining monies for programs in Syria.
Trump is reviewing U.S. deployments.
Post-IS Stabilization and Reconstruction. The December
Iraq. U.S. military personnel have deployed to Iraq to
2016 CR (P.L. 114-254) provided $1.03 billion in
advise and train Iraqi forces, gather intelligence on the
Economic Support Fund-OCO monies to remain available
through FY2018 for programs “to counter the Islamic State
Islamic State, and secure U.S. personnel and facilities.
Deployed forces include advisers and trainers for the Iraqi
of Iraq and the Levant, other terrorist organizations, and
Security Forces (ISF) and the Kurdish peshmerga, along
violent extremism, and address the needs of populations
with support and force protection personnel. As of late
impacted by such organizations.” The Administration has
2017, approximately 6,000 U.S. military personnel were
directed more than $265 million for stabilization in Iraq
deployed in Iraq, with rotations temporarily increasing that
since 2015. Section 7041(j) of P.L. 115-141 authorizes the
number. Coalition partners have deployed about 3,500
use of $500 million in FY2018 funds from various foreign
assistance accounts for a “Relief and Recovery Fund”
advisers and trainers for the ISF. As of December 31, 2017,
more than 127,500 Iraqi security personnel had received
(RRF) for aid to “areas liberated from, at risk from, or
training, including Kurdish peshmerga, and tribal fighters.
under the control of, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria,
other terrorist organizations, or violent extremist
Current Funding and FY2019 Requests
organizations in the Middle East and Africa.” These funds
The continuing resolution (CR) for FY2017 (P.L. 114-254)
could presumably support stabilization efforts inside Syria.
and the Consolidated Appropriations Acts for FY2017 (P.L.
The FY2019 request seeks $40 million in RRF funds.
115-31) and FY2018 (P.L. 115-141) make available
Humanitarian Funding. The United States has provided
defense and foreign operations funds for efforts to combat
nearly $7.7 billion in Syria-related humanitarian assistance
the Islamic State, respond to related crises, and stabilize
since 2011 and more than $607 million for humanitarian
liberated areas, as requested by the Trump and Obama
assistance in Iraq since August 2014. Funding to support
Administrations. The Trump Administration has requested
continued humanitarian efforts in response to the Iraq-Syria
additional funds to continue U.S. programs across multiple
crises is drawn from global accounts such as Migration and
lines of effort in multiple countries in FY2019 and beyond.
Refugee Assistance (MRA) and International Disaster
Syria and Iraq Train and Equip Programs. The
Assistance (IDA) accounts. P.L. 115-141 provides $2.4
underlying authorities for the Department of Defense Syria
billion in MRA-OCO to respond to refugee crises,
and Iraq train and equip programs have been extended
including in the Near East. The act also provides for $2.6
through the end of December 2018 and 2019, respectively
billion in IDA and $1.5 billion in IDA-OCO. Humanitarian
[Sections 1209 and 1236 of P.L. 113-291, as amended].
needs are expected to persist in both countries for years.
Appropriations acts have made funds available that could
Military Funding. As of July 31, 2017, the total cost of
support these programs beyond these dates. The
U.S. military operations related to the Islamic State since
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Division C of P.L.
the beginning of strikes on August 8, 2014, was $18.5
115-31) provided $980 million for a Counter-ISIL Train
billion. Congress has appropriated billions in additional
and Equip Fund (CTEF) available until September 30,
defense funding for counterterrorism operations and IS-
2018. The act makes available an additional $626.4 million
related war costs in FY2017 and FY2018 appropriations
that may not be obligated or expended until 15 days after
acts. For FY2019, the Trump Administration has requested
the President submits a required report “on the United
$13.9 billion in Operation Inherent Resolve related funds,
States strategy for the defeat” of the Islamic State
not including train and equip funds described above.
organization. Congress authorized and appropriated an
additional $1.8 billion for the programs in the FY2018
Christopher M. Blanchard, Specialist in Middle Eastern
NDAA and Omnibus Appropriations Act and required a
Affairs
new strategy report for Syria. President Trump is requesting
Carla E. Humud, Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs
an additional $1.15 billion for the programs in FY2019.
IF10328
Continued Support to Syrian Opposition Groups. The
State Department requested more than $480 million in
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The Islamic State


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10328 · VERSION 18 · UPDATED

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