War on ISIL

War on ISIL
Conflict	War on ISIL

War on ISIL is the international military, political, and intelligence campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as ISIS or Daesh. The campaign involved regional and global actors including the United States, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, France, Iraq, and Syria, and unfolded across Iraq, Syria, Libya, and parts of Africa. It encompassed air campaigns, ground offensives, proxy engagements, counterterrorism operations, intelligence cooperation, and stabilization efforts that followed the territorial collapse of the self-declared caliphate.

Background and Origins

ISIL emerged from antecedent organizations including Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Iraq War, and the insurgencies following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, exploiting post‑invasion instability, sectarian tensions between Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, and the Syrian Civil war (2011–present). The group's rapid expansion drew on resources from the Syrian Civil War, the collapse of order after the Battle of Mosul (2014), and the seizure of oil infrastructure such as fields near Deir ez-Zor, provoking international concern from actors including United States Department of Defense, NATO, Arab League, and the United Nations Security Council. Preceding campaigns against ISIL involved operations like the Iraq and Syria campaign against Al-Qaeda affiliates and state responses from Iraq War (2013–2017) participants.

Major Participants and Coalition Forces

The anti-ISIL coalition included state forces such as the Iraqi Armed Forces, the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Syrian Arab Army, the Russian Armed Forces, the United States Armed Forces, the Turkish Armed Forces, the Lantern of Islam — no, as well as non-state actors like Kurdistan Workers' Party-aligned units including the People's Protection Units and tribal militias including the Hashd al-Shaabi. Western contributors included Royal Air Force, French Armed Forces, United States Central Command, and Special Operations Command elements, with regional partners such as Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah, Quds Force, and the Gulf Cooperation Council states providing varying levels of engagement. International organizations like the United Nations and coalitions such as Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve coordinated diplomatic, military, and humanitarian aspects.

Campaign Phases and Key Battles

Major phases included the 2014–2015 territorial expansion culminating in the Declaration of the Caliphate (2014), the 2015–2017 international counteroffensives marked by campaigns such as the Battle of Kobani (2014–2015), the Siege of Kobanî, the Battle of Ramadi (2015–2016), the Anbar campaign (2015–2016), the Second Battle of Fallujah (2016), the Battle of Mosul (2016–2017), and the Battle of Raqqa (2017). The fall of urban strongholds like Raqqa, Mosul, and Al-Bukamal signaled territorial defeat, followed by persistent insurgent episodes such as the Battle of Sirte (2016) in Libya and the Boko Haram insurgency intersections in Nigeria. Subsequent counterinsurgency operations and cross-border strikes continued in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and the Sahel region.

Military Strategies and Tactics

State and non‑state actors used airpower from platforms like MQ-9 Reaper, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and Su-34 alongside artillery and armored maneuvers from units such as Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service and Russian Aerospace Forces. Urban warfare featured house-to-house combat seen in Mosul and Raqqa, tunnel networks reminiscent of tactics used by Hezbollah in the 2006 Lebanon War, improvised explosive devices comparable to methods from the Iraq War, and suicide attacks reflecting precedents from Al-Qaeda operations. Coalition strategy combined close air support, special operations forces raids, intelligence sharing with agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency and MI6, and economic targeting of oil revenues and supply lines tied to Unit 61398-style cyber operations and information campaigns across networks like Amaq News Agency.

Humanitarian Impact and Civilian Consequences

Operations produced large-scale displacement evidenced in refugee flows to Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon and internally displaced persons in the Kurdistan Region and Nineveh Governorate, exacerbating crises overseen by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and International Committee of the Red Cross. Urban destruction in Raqqa and Mosul resulted in cultural losses including damage to sites related to Ancient Mesopotamia, Palmyra, and archaeological artifacts cataloged by institutions like the British Museum and the Louvre. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch documented abuses including forced displacement, executions, sexual violence, and recruitment of child soldiers, prompting humanitarian responses from Doctors Without Borders and International Rescue Committee.

International Law, War Crimes, and Accountability

Allegations of violations prompted investigations by bodies such as the International Criminal Court and ad hoc mechanisms within the United Nations Human Rights Council, with prosecutions pursued in national courts including those of Iraq and France. Accusations encompassed war crimes attributable to ISIL, state forces, and coalition actors, including indiscriminate bombardment, use of chemical precursors, and unlawful detention, considered under instruments like the Geneva Conventions and customary international humanitarian law. Accountability efforts involved documentation by organizations including United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/ISIL and transitional justice proposals discussed at conferences such as the Geneva II Conference on Syria.

Aftermath, Stabilization, and Insurgency Challenges

Territorial defeat did not end the movement; ISIL-affiliated cells and franchises remained active in Afghanistan, Libya, the Sahel, and Philippines, prompting ongoing counterterrorism operations by actors including Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Barkhane, and bilateral partnerships with Iraq and Syria. Stabilization challenges included reconstruction funding disputes involving World Bank, European Union, and Gulf states, contested governance in regions like the Kurdish autonomous region, and reintegration of foreign fighters processed under laws in Germany, United Kingdom, and Turkey. Long-term security and political solutions referenced in peacebuilding literature from United Nations Development Programme and transitional justice frameworks remain central to preventing resurgence.

Category:Conflicts in the 21st century