ConflictBarometer_2015

MIDDLE EAST AND MAGHREB
Patriot missile systems in the border region deployed, German
and US officials announced the withdrawal of its missile
batteries from Turkey in mid-August. On October 10, a bomb
exploded at a peace rally in Ankara and left at least 102
civilians dead. President Erdogan blamed the Islamic State
(IS), the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the Democratic Union
Party (PYD), and Syria's military intelligence Mukhabarat for
the attack. On December 27, German newspapers reported
that German AWACS planes would be moved to the province
of Konya to support Turkey. Three days later, a Turkish official
announced that Syrian citizens would need visa permits for
entering Turkey as of 01/08/2016. aje
SYRIA, IRAQ ET AL. (IS)
Intensity: 5 | Change: | Start: 2014
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
IS, Sunni tribes vs. Syria,
Iraq, Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt,
France, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia,
Turkey,Yemen, al-Houthis, GNC, PFG,
Hezbollah, Taliban, KRG, Shiite militias,
Sunni tribesmen, YPG, Jabhat
al-Nusra, FSA, al-Sham Front, US-led
coalition
system/ideology, resources
INTRODUCTION
The war over the orientation of international system and the
control of resources between the so-called Islamic State (IS),
on the one hand, and Syria and Iraq as well as other governments
and several militant groups, on the other, continued.
Following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, several militant
groups, notably the so-called al-Zarqawi network, started to
fight US forces and their allies. In 2004, the network led
by Jordanian Salafi Jihadist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi pledged
allegiance to Osama bin Laden and renamed itself ''al-Qaeda
in Iraq''. Following the 2006 killing of al-Zarqawi by the US,
the group declared itself ''Islamic State in Iraq'' (ISI). In 2010,
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi took over the leadership of the group.
In 2011, al-Baghdadi and other al-Qaeda leaders sent Abu
Mohammad al-Golani to Syria in order to found an al-Qaeda
offshoot, the Jabhat al-Nusra, to fight the Syrian government
[→Syria (opposition)]. After a failed merger of ISI and Jabhat
al-Nusra under the name of ''Islamic State of Iraq and Greater
Syria'' (ISIS) in April 2013, ISI continued to operate as ISIS.
After having severed all ties with al-Qaeda in February 2014
and after gaining control over large parts of Syria and Iraq,
al-Baghdadi declared himself ''Caliph'' of an ''Islamic State''
(IS) on 06/29/14.
In the territory under its control, IS implemented sharia law
and set up state-alike administration and social services.
Following large-scale mobilization via social media, many
foreign fighters from over a hundred countries joined the
group. Following the proclamation of the caliphate, IS expanded
its operations to Afghanistan, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya,
and Algeria in 2014, followed by Yemen, Tunisia, and Turkey
in 2015. Apart from the core IS organization, various militant
groups in the Middle East and Maghreb and other parts of
the world pledged allegiance to IS, including Boko Haram,
the Caucasus Emirate, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
as well as Taliban splinter groups, Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters [→ Nigeria (Boko Haram); Russia
(Islamist militants / Northern Caucasus); Afghanistan (Taliban
et al.); Tajikistan (Islamist militant groups); Philippines (Abu
Sayyaf); Philippines (BIFF, BIFM MILF, government)]. In
order to halt the advances of IS, a US-led coalition launched
airstrikes against the group in Iraq in August 2014, expanding
operations to Syria one month later under the name ''Operation
Inherent Resolve''. Furthermore, IS claimed responsibility
for attacks in Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, France,
Kuwait, and the US in 2015. Following the attacks in Paris on
November 13, which left 130 people dead, France intensified
its involvement in the US-led coalition against IS. (ska)
SYRIA
In Syria, IS had lost previously gained territory in the northern
parts of Aleppo, ar-Raqqa, and al-Hasakah governorates.
Additionally, the group retreated from southern Damascus
towards the end of the year. On January 6, the US approved
a military mission to train and equip Syrian opposition forces
fighting IS [→ Syria (opposition)]. On September 30, Russia
started airstrikes in support of the Syrian government.
However, the US claimed that most of the Russian airstrikes
targeted moderate opposition groups. Most of Deir ez-Zor
governorate remained under IS control after the militants had
repelled other opposition groups in July 2014. Moreover, IS
made large gains in Homs governorate.
The US-led airstrikes continued throughout the year, mostly
targeting IS sites in Aleppo and al-Hasakah governorates
and, to a lesser extent, in ar-Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Idlib
governorates.
In Aleppo governorate, IS engaged in fights with government
forces, the Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG), and the
al-Sham Front, an umbrella group of several Aleppo-based
militias. In the beginning of February, IS partially withdrew
from northern Aleppo to ar-Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and
al-Hasakah. IS and al-Sham Front recurrently clashed over
strategic cities and surrounding areas mainly in the north
of Aleppo city using suicide bombers, mortars, artillery, and
tanks. For instance, on August 27, al-Sham Front attacked
IS fighters, after IS had attempted to reach Aleppo city with
several armored vehicles and artillery. Six al-Sham fighters
and dozens of IS fighters were killed during the clashes.
On October 23, IS attacked a major government checkpoint
on the Khanaser-Ithriya highway, the only supply route to
government-held areas in Aleppo city, with two car bombs.
Two days later, IS seized parts of the route and checkpoints
thereon. Dozens of fighters were killed on both sides.
Government forces recaptured the area on November 4.
Throughout the year, the military repeatedly attempted to
break the IS siege on the Kuwairi military airport in eastern
Aleppo where reportedly 1,000 soldiers were trapped. On
November 10, large-scale government airstrikes against IS
positions enabled dozens of soldiers to enter the air base. In
total, 55 IS fighters, 18 soldiers, and 19 Hezbollah fighters
were killed during the fighting.
On January 26, YPG supported by airstrikes from the USled
coalition regained areas in the eastern part of Kobane,
Aleppo, from IS. The four-month-long siege of Kobane left
more than 1,600 dead, including many foreign fighters, and
forced tens of thousands of people to flee. On January 28,
YPG claimed they had repelled IS from the city. Subsequently,
a large number of refugees returned from Turkey. Fighting
continued in the villages southwest and southeast to Kobane.
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