2.4. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)

COMMON ANALYSIS
Last update: November 2024

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a Salafi jihadist militant group, designated by the UN and internationally sanctioned as a terrorist organisation, whose goal is the establishment and expansion of a caliphate. 

ISIL was declared militarily defeated in December 2017. End of 2023, it was reported that ISIL was operating in a survival mode and was unable to launch larger complex attacks. ISIL was maintaining a low-grade insurgency in rural areas, with most of its attacks occurring in Diyala, Kirkuk and Salah-al-din governorates. Asymmetric attacks carried out by ISIL were also recorded in Anbar, Baghdad and Ninewa governorates. However, in 2024, sources observed a resurgence of ISIL in Iraq. ISIL attacks mostly targeted the ISF and, to a lesser extent, the PMF. Killings and kidnappings of civilians were also reported as part of ISIL-related incidents. 

In its earlier campaign to ‘purify’ its territory according to its takfir doctrines, ISIL had committed violations, such as mass casualty attacks, forced displacements, abductions, systematic and widespread killings of those not in conformity with their ideology, and sexual violence, including sexual slavery. More recent reports show that ISIL has continued targeting several categories of individuals such as individuals perceived to be opposed to them (see  3.5 Individuals perceived to be opposed to ISIL), collaborators of Western armed forces (see  3.6. (Perceived) collaborators of Western armed forces, organisations, or companies), as well as ethnic and religious minorities (see 3.10. Religious and ethnic minorities).