The Islamic State (ISIS) may have lost territory, but its dangerous ideology remains and continues to spread, the documentation office of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) said, launching a comprehensive series of articles to shed light on the continuing threat of ISIS.
The YPJ, a Kurdish women’s militia that has played a pivotal role in the fight against ISIS, has been at the forefront of efforts to defeat the extremist group. Their dedication to eradicating the threat of ISIS extends beyond the battlefield. They seek to educate the world about the origins, motivations and continued influence of the organisation.
“In order to stop ISIS, it is crucial to understand the organisation – what kind of organisation it is, what its purpose is, what its ideology entails, and how it continues to sustain itself as a global phenomenon,” the YPJ stressed.
The first part of the YPJ’s series of articles on ISIS provides a brief overview of the organisation’s formation and development. In this comprehensive examination, the article delves into the organisation’s ideology, origins and subsequent developments.
Adhering to a radical Salafi jihadist ideology, ISIS emerged as a brutal force promising a global Islamic empire under strict Sharia law. It sought to establish a caliphate and used extreme violence, including the persecution of ‘infidels’ and ‘apostates’, to achieve its goals.
The roots of ISIS can be traced back to the Soviet-Afghan war, where Islamist fighters, including Osama bin Laden, were supported by the CIA. Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi later founded ISIS’s predecessor group, Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, which eventually became al-Qaeda in Iraq. After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the group evolved into the Islamic State of Iraq, with various internal alliances and leadership changes.
ISIS expanded its influence into Syria in 2011 during the Syrian Civil War, leading to conflicts with al-Qaeda-affiliated groups such as al-Nusra Front. The declaration of the caliphate in 2014 marked a turning point, with ISIS seeking global recognition and allegiance from Muslims around the world.
Under ISIS rule, brutal violence and strict rules were imposed, leading to the subjugation of women and the establishment of a slave system. The group recruited members worldwide, leading to attacks in several countries and causing significant loss of life.
ISIS aimed to establish a state by implementing strict governance structures, providing services and financing itself through various means, including oil sales and taxation.
The YPJ highlights Turkey’s alleged support for ISIS during the Rojava Revolution, a social and political transformation that led to the establishment of a de facto autonomous administration in northeastern Syria, emphasising the international dimension of the organisation. According to the article, Turkey’s support and facilitation of ISIS activities, including training, funding and safe passage, played a key role in the group’s growth.
The article also acknowledges the resistance of Kurdish forces, particularly during the Battle of Kobane, which played a crucial role in the eventual defeat of ISIS.
The Battle of Kobane in September 2014 marked a turning point as Kurdish forces, part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), resisted and ultimately defeated ISIS. This battle began the decline of ISIS, culminating in its defeat at Baghuz in 2019. Following these losses, the US led an operation in October 2019 that resulted in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The leadership changes within ISIS are detailed, from the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to the succession of subsequent caliphs. In August 2023, the group announced the death of its last leader, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi. On 30 April, two weeks before Turkish elections, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that he had killed him, but ISIS denied his claim. The group said he had been killed by rival group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and claimed that HTS had handed his body over to Turkey so that Erdoğan could claim the elimination of the ISIS leader as his own success.
The article highlights the global threat posed by ISIS, citing major terrorist attacks in various countries and emphasising that the group’s influence remains a concern even after the loss of territorial control.
Despite territorial losses, the article stresses that weapons alone cannot defeat ISIS, and that the battle against its ideology remains ongoing. It calls for continued efforts to protect democratic projects and women’s liberation as a way to end ISIS and its barbaric ideology.
