Islamic State: Origin, Structure and Goals

Introduction

In this project, I will discuss about "ISIS", which is a Salafi jihadist militant group and former unrecognized proto-state that follows a fundamentalist, Salafi doctrine of Sunni Islam.

This organization did not start a new group almost many people were already former of Al-Qeuda (2004). They were trained fighters having experience in battle field more than a decade. Leaders: Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi (real name is Ibrahim Al-badri, also known as Abu douaa), Abu Ayman Al-Iraqi (in reality he is leading the fighter of this organization, and also a member of military council), Abu Ahmed Al-Alwani (the real name of this person is Waleed Jassem Al-Alwani, also member of military council ).

Origin, Structure and Goals

Groups Allied With Isis:

1. Pakistan: Jandullah, shahidulah shahid group, Tehrik-e-Khilafat.
2. Afghanistan: Salafi Taliban.
3. Libya: Ansar Al-Shariah.
4. Indonesia: Abu Bakar Bashir.
5. Nigeria: Boko Haram.
6. Uzbekistan: Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU).
7. Egypt: Gamah Islamiyah.
8. Philippines: Ansar Bait-ul-Maqdis.

Income Sources:

1. Oil and extortion.
2. Kidnapping (lots of journalist have been kidnapped and badly Killed by this Organization).
3. Robbery (according to different estimates, in June 2014, 900 million dollars to 2 billion dollars were robbed by a gunmen from branch of Central bank of Iraq).

According to the Federal Drug Control Service in Russia, one billion dollars is the annual income of transporting heroin from Afghanistan to Europe. The US and Middle East are the two main target of this Organization. One of ISIS's messages to the U.S is, "We will drown all of you into blood". It is evident that on the morning of 7 January 2015, two ISIS militants came into the Charlie Hebdo building and killed 11 people and injured another 11 people. Paris Attack:13 November 2015 , Terrorist attacked Paris, 130 people were killed and 368 injured, 80-90 were severely injured. And seven terrorist were killed during this actions.

Reasons Behind Paris Attack:

1. France is taking more part in Africa to fight against JIHAD.
2. France’s Mali Anti-Jihad operation.
3. France is the more interventionist from the western power.

Syria being a Sunni majority country is ruled by a Shia President Bashar al Assad since 2000 and even before him Syria was ruled by his father Hafez al-Assad from 1971 onwards. The civil war started in 2011 and this gave Turkey an opportunity by which it allowed a southern border with Syria so porous that it offered ISIS and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra what amounted to a logistical safe zone. In March 2013, it took over the Syrian city of Raqqa - the first provincial capital to fall under rebel control.

• Iran backed Hezbollah are pro Assad
• The Russia is continuing its air strike on ISIS in North-eastern Syria
• The Saudi and Qatar govt. are funding Sunni militias to fight against Assad. Even U.S.A is calling for the resignation of Assad rather than regime change, because it has seen the failure of it in Iraq.
• US-backed Syrian rebels have also begun advancing on IS stronghold, the city of Raqqa, in northern Syria. ISIS and IRAQ
• IS grown out of what was AQI, which was formed by Sunni militants after the US-led invasion in 2003 and became a major force in the country's sectarian war.
• Since Shia Arabs are majority (60-65%), Sunnis are 32-37%.
• Paul Bremer idea of De-Baathification and the disbanding of Iraqi army gave ISIS new leaders to fight in their Jihad. As all of these were the associates of Saddam Hussein.
• More than half of the leadership of ISIS was present in Camp bucca, Camp nama and Camp cropper. Maj. Gen. Douglas Stone, prison commander in Iraq mentions the camps as a Jihadi University.
• Iraqi Special Forces and army units have liberated the eastern half of Mosul and are now advancing into the western part of the city.
• Brig Gen Yahya Rasool, a military spokesman, said the extremist group currently controls less than 12,000 square miles (30,000sq. km) in Iraq, or 6.8 per cent of the country’s territory.

They try to convince Muslims all around the world that West specially US is at war with Islam. This has been the prominent reason which has helped in the recruitment of Jihadis.

Methods Used For Recruitment:

• Religion
• Magazines
• Social Media

The study of social media and internet searches (covering Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Google) and found that the people at the age of 16 to 30 years take more interest in global terror outfit. He is quickly diffusing in the social media with a message to «Kill all Hindus in India».

Organization Success:

• According to the U.S. State Department, 68 players in the organization playing the role to contributing either military forces or resources.
• The Fighting strength has reduced to an estimate of 12,000 to 15,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
• In 2017 the organization has lost around 60% of the populated territory held in Iraq, and around 30% of the populated territory held in Syria.
• The oil and gas resource are being targeted which is forcing ISIS to call for foreign donations.

They want to take control of North Africa, most of the Indian Subcontinent, parts of Europe, middle East, within the next five years (2020). They control over in Iraq and Syria with approximated collection of 2.8 million to 5.3 million people. Foundation of new Islamic State Muslim should live under one Islamic State that is ruled by Sharia Laws.

Strategy To Defeat Isis:

1. Start with the U.S and Russia and then bring in Iran and Saudi Arabia.
2. Move beyond air strikes.
3. Support the moderate opposition in Syria and end the civil war.
4. Exploit the Islamic State’s weaknesses.
5. Establish an Iraqi national guard.
6. Push Turkey to play a bigger role.
7. De-radicalization centers.
8. UN needs to play a major role.

Conclusion

The main goals are to establish a caliphate, expand territory, and conquer other countries. The threats are to kill westerners and Muslim cities and make them believe in their theology. ISIS is being stopped and overall ISIS is still rising but it is being slowed down dramatically. ISIS was created by Abu Ayyub al-Masri and when he started ISIS his main goal (which is the same today) is to establish an Islamic Caliphate. Overall, it is a very dangerous organization but if taken care of properly, they can be stopped. I will prefer that inhuman activities should be banned.