Updated May 10, 2021
The Islamic State
The Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the
Middle East/North Africa
Arabic acronym Da’esh) is a transnational Sunni Islamist
Islamic State Sinai Province, formerly known as Ansar
insurgent and terrorist group. At its 2015 height, the group
Bayt al Maqdis, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in
controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria, including some
2014. Based in Egypt’s North Sinai, the group claimed
cities, from which it launched attacks in the region and
responsibility for the 2015 bombing of a Russian passenger
beyond. While the group no longer controls territory
plane, which killed 231 people, and is believed to have
outright in Syria and Iraq, U.S. military officials warn that
carried out a 2017 attack on a mosque in the Sinai, which
it has maintained a low-level insurgency and has worked to
killed more than 300 people. In 2021, the group has
expand its global presence via a burgeoning number of
continued to target Egyptian security personnel.
affiliate groups. The 2021 Annual Threat Assessment of the
Islamic State in Libya. IS-Libya was established in 2014.
U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) warned that the Islamic
State and sometimes rival Al Qaeda “have shown great
U.S. airstrikes significantly weakened the group, helping
resiliency” and together remain the “the greatest Sunni
oust it from its last stronghold in the city of Sirte in 2016. In
terrorist threats to U.S. interests overseas.”
late 2020, U.S. military officials assessed that IS-Libya
posed “only a minimal threat to U.S. interests in Libya.”
Origins and Leadership
Islamic State Khorasan Province was established in
The Islamic State grew out of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI),
Afghanistan in 2015 by Pakistani, Afghan, and Central
formerly known as Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). In 2011, some
Asian militants. The group has condemned peace talks
ISI members traveled to Syria to establish a new Al Qaeda
between the United States and the Taliban, and has sought
affiliate there, known as the Nusra Front. In 2013, then-ISI
to recruit disaffected Taliban members. In late 2020, the
leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi announced that ISI and the
group carried out two high profile attacks in Kabul.
Nusra Front had merged into the Islamic State of Iraq and
Al Sham (ISIS/ISIL). Al Qaeda rejected Baghdadi’s move
Sub-Saharan Africa
to subsume the Nusra Front under his leadership, and
Islamic State West Africa Province was formed in 2015
severed ties with the group in 2014. Baghdadi later declared
as an offshoot of the Nigerian Islamist armed group Boko
the establishment of a “caliphate” and renamed the group,
Haram, and has grown to surpass it in size and capacity. It
calling it the Islamic State. In March 2019, the U.S.-backed
operates in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad.
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured the group’s last
territorial outpost in Syria. Baghdadi was killed in a U.S.
Islamic State Greater Sahara emerged in 2015 as an
raid on his compound in northern Syria in October that
offshoot of Al Murabitoun—itself an offshoot of Algerian-
year. He was succeeded as IS leader by Amir Muhammad
led Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The group operates in
Said Abd al Rahman al Mawla, often referred to as Abu
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso; a 2017 ambush by the group
Ibrahim al Hashimi al Qurayshi.
in Niger killed four U.S. soldiers. IS media has portrayed
the group as part of or subordinate to its West Africa
Current Status: Syria and Iraq
province, but the groups may operate independently.
The Islamic State continues to wage a low-level insurgency
Islamic State Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
across Syria and Iraq, with an estimated force of 8,000 to
was established in 2019 as a re-branding of the Allied
16,000 fighters. U.S. officials indicated in early 2021 that
Democratic Forces (ADF), a long-active insurgent group.
the group continued to spread its ideology among
ADF attacks in 2020 killed 849 civilians, according to U.N.
vulnerable populations, including IS family members at Al
reporting.
Hol camp and other internally displaced and conflict-
affected communities. The U.S.-led counter-IS Coalition
Islamic State Mozambique, known locally as Al Shabaab
operates in northeast and southeast Syria; IS activity
(no relation to the Al Qaeda-affiliated Somali group of the
continues in areas where the Coalition is not active.
same name), affiliated with the Islamic State in 2019. Since
2017, the group has killed nearly 1,400 civilians and caused
Select Global Affiliate Groups
the displacement of more than 700,000 people in northern
Since 2014, local armed groups in various countries have
Mozambique. IS media refers to IS-DRC and IS-
affiliated with the Islamic State. Their goals, tactics, and
Mozambique jointly as the Islamic State Central Africa
leadership structures vary and have evolved over time, and
Province; the State Department describes the affiliates as
the threats they pose to U.S. interests also vary. After the
distinct groups.
group’s territorial defeat in Iraq and Syria, U.S. officials
South and East Asia
warned that IS leadership aimed to expand elsewhere,
Islamic State Philippines, now known as Islamic State
notably in Africa. As of 2021, the U.S. State Department
East Asia, is comprised of remnants of the Abu Sayyaf
has designated nine groups worldwide as IS affiliates and
Group and other local militant groups. The group pledged
Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Islamic State
allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014; as of 2020 it
the U.S. military presence required to counter the Islamic
continued small scale attacks on Philippine security forces.
State. Since late 2015, U.S. personnel have been deployed
in an advisory and planning capacity with the SDF, a
Islamic State Bangladesh pledged allegiance to the
coalition of Syrian Kurdish and non-Kurdish forces, in
Islamic State in 2014. It claimed responsibility for a 2016
northern Syria. U.S. military personnel are also deployed to
attack on a bakery popular with expatriates that killed 20.
Iraq to advise and train Iraqi forces, gather intelligence on
The group has continued to target Bangladesh police.
the Islamic State, and secure U.S. personnel and facilities.
Congress extended the underlying authorities for the DOD
The Domestic Threat
Syria and Iraq train and equip programs through the end of
The 2021 IC Annual Threat Assessment reported that while
2021 (§1209 and §1236 of P.L. 113-291), as amended.
the Islamic State seeks to conduct attacks inside the United
States, sustained counterterrorism pressure has degraded its
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260)
capability to do so. The IC assessed that, “U.S.-based lone
provided $710 million for the Counter-ISIS Train and
actors and small cells with a broad range of ideological
Equip Fund available until September 30, 2022, and made
motivations pose a greater immediate domestic threat.” It a
funds available under DOD’s Global Train and Equip
“ISIS-inspired attacks very likely will remain the primary
authority (10 U.S.C. 333) to support forces involved in
ISIS threat to the U.S homeland this year, rather than plots
operations against the group. The act also makes funds
operationally supported or directed by ISIS.”
provided under the Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism,
Deming and Related Programs account available for the
Select U.S. Policy Tools
Counterterrorism Partnership Fund for programs in areas
liberated from the Islamic State or other terrorist groups.
Military Operations
In 2014, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
Post-IS Stabilization
established Combined Joint Task Force – Operation
The United States has provided stabilization assistance in
Inherent Resolve (OIR) to formalize U.S.-led coalition
areas of Syria and Iraq liberated from the Islamic State in
operations against IS forces in Iraq and Syria. While the
an effort to prevent the group’s re-emergence. The Trump
campaign to retake the Islamic State’s territorial “caliphate”
Administration sought to shift funding responsibility for
in Iraq and Syria was largely carried out by local Syrian and
stabilization projects to Coalition partners, to mixed effect.
Iraqi partner forces, the United States provided airstrikes,
Congress has made funds available for Syria stabilization
artillery, advice, and intelligence support. By September
and the Biden Administration could restore stabilization
2020, the total cost of OIR had reached $49.4 billion. It also
funding for Syria as part of a broader policy review.
had entered what U.S. military officials described as its
final phase, during which the Coalition seeks to enable
Sanctions
partner forces to operate independently against IS remnants.
The United States seeks to limit the Islamic State’s ability
to finance its operations, in part by ensuring that the group
The United States has conducted other military operations
and its affiliates cannot access the U.S. financial system.
that include counter-IS missions. These include Operation
The State Department designated the above affiliates as
Freedom’s Sentinel, which targets Al Qaeda and IS forces
FTOs and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists
in Afghanistan, and includes training, advising and assisting
(SDGTs); U.S. and foreign financial institutions that
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces; and
knowingly conduct or facilitate any significant transaction
Operation Pacific Eagle-Philippines, which supports the
on behalf of these groups could be subject to U.S.
Armed Forces of the Philippines in their fight against ISIS-
sanctions. 18 U.S.C. 2339B, prohibiting persons under U.S
East Asia and other terrorist groups. In the Sahel, DOD
jurisdiction from providing material support or resources to
provides logistical and intelligence support to France’s
designated FTO, makes punis hable any such providing and
Operation Barkhane, which targets local IS and Al Qaeda
requires financial institutions to seize assets related to
affiliates.
questionable transactions—with substantial financial
penalties for failure to do so. IS affiliates also are subject to
Global Partnerships
U.N. sanctions under U.N. Security Council Resolution
In 2014, the United States formed the Global Coalition to
2368 (2017), which requires member states to apply an
Defeat ISIS with 83 other partner governments and
asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo to any individual
institutions. Most members of the coalition did not
or entity on the ISIL (Da’esh) & Al Qaida Sanctions List.
participate in the military campaign against the Islamic
State in Iraq and Syria, but U.S. officials sought their
Outlook
cooperation on transnational efforts to counter the flow of
In March 2021, U.S. officials stated “ensuring the global
foreign fighters, IS financing, and IS propaganda. U.S.
defeat of ISIS will entail effectively countering ISIS
officials also leveraged the coalition to highlight Arab and
branches and networks outside of Iraq and Syria, and we as
Muslim opposition to IS ideology. A sub-group of foreign
a coalition recognize that.” Containing affiliates may pose
ministers continue to meet regularly as part of the Global
challenges, as many of these groups initially emerged in
Coalition to Defeat ISIS Small Group.
response to local conditions, and in some cases predate the
rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Training, Equipping, and Advising Partner Forces
The United States has trained local partner forces in Iraq
Carla E. Humud, Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs
and Syria with the goal of limiting the size and duration of
IF10328
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Islamic State
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permissio n of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10328 · VERSION 19 · UPDATED