War against the Islamic State

The emergence of the Islamic State (IS) as a formidable territorial force, particularly following its 2014 invasion of Iraq, triggered a significant international military intervention. This response was galvanized by IS's universally condemned executions, systematic human rights abuses, and the palpable fear of wider regional destabilization stemming from the Syrian civil war. The group's rapid territorial gains and brutal ideology presented a direct challenge to international norms and security.

This led to a diverse array of states, often with divergent geopolitical interests, coalescing into a de facto coalition to counter IS's expansion and influence, extending even to minor interventions against IS-affiliated groups in Nigeria and Libya.

The military campaign against IS was characterized by a complex web of international cooperation, often involving unlikely allies. In June 2014, the United States and Iran, despite their deep-seated animosity, both began operations in Iraq against IS, with the US deploying troops and conducting airstrikes, and Iran reportedly sending drones and soldiers. Iran also supplied aircraft to Iraq and reportedly facilitated support for Shia militias.

The US spearheaded a coalition that, by September 2014, included fourteen countries executing airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, working closely with nations like Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Russia's intervention in Syria in September 2015, ostensibly to fight IS, primarily served to bolster the Assad regime, often targeting Syrian opposition groups rather than IS itself, highlighting the varied strategic objectives within the broader anti-IS effort.

The sustained aerial campaigns and ground support provided by the coalition proved effective in degrading IS's capabilities. The US-led coalition actively trained and equipped Syrian Kurdish and secular militias, who played a crucial role in pushing IS back. Following the commencement of these air campaigns, IS began to lose significant ground in both Iraq and Syria.

However, these operations were not without cost; civilian casualties from airstrikes became a tragic consequence in 2015 and 2016. Despite initial plans for coordination, direct US-Russian cooperation on airstrikes did not materialize, reflecting the complex geopolitical landscape.

By December 2017, IS had been largely expelled from Iraq, and by March 2019, its territorial defeat in Syria was declared with the fall of Baghuz Fawqani. This marked the end of IS as a territorial entity, forcing it into an insurgency. The death of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a US raid in October 2019, followed by the succession of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, signaled a shift in the group's structure.

Despite these significant setbacks, the United Nations estimated in August 2020 that over 10,000 IS fighters remained active, primarily as sleeper cells, demonstrating the persistent challenge of eradicating extremist networks and the long-term implications for regional and global security.