Middle East |NYT Now
In Airstrikes, U.S. Targets Militant Cell Said to Plot an Attack Against the West
By PETER BAKER
WASHINGTON — American forces took advantage of the airstrikes against the Islamic State extremist group in Syria to try to simultaneously wipe out the leadership of an unrelated cell of veterans of Al Qaeda that the White House said Tuesday was plotting an “imminent” attack against the United States or Europe.
The barrage of bombs and missiles launched into Syria early Tuesday was aimed primarily at crippling the Islamic State, the formidable Sunni organization that has seized a large piece of territory to form its own radical enclave. But the blitz also targeted a little-known network called Khorasan, in hopes of paralyzing it before it could carry out what American officials feared would be a terrorist attack in the West.
American military and intelligence analysts were still studying damage reports from the initial air assault, but senior Obama administration officials expressed hope that they had killed Muhsin al-Fadhli, the leader of Khorasan and a onetime confidant of Osama bin Laden. The officials said they had been contemplating military action against Khorasan in recent months, but President Obama’s decision to hit the Islamic State’s forces inside Syria provided a chance to neutralize the other perceived threat.
Several officials said Khorasan had an advanced plan for an attack involving a bomb that could pass undetected through airport security systems, perhaps by lacing nonmetallic objects like toothpaste tubes and clothes with explosive material, although officials offered no details in public and did not provide specifics on how soon an attack might be carried out.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the concerns about Khorasan were behind a decision last summer to ban uncharged laptop computers and cellphones from some United States-bound commercial airliners.
The air campaign against Khorasan and the Islamic State got underway even as Mr. Obama flew to New York to meet with world leaders gathering at the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly. Mr. Obama did not seek United Nations permission for the military campaign, but he presented the strikes as the collaboration of a multinational coalition that included five Arab nations: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
“Because of the almost unprecedented effort of this coalition, I think we now have an opportunity to send a very clear message that the world is united,” Mr. Obama said during a hastily arranged photo opportunity in New York with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, King Abdullah II of Jordan and representatives of the other Arab allies.
Fallout From the Battle With ISIS for Kobani
A visual guide to the crisis in Iraq and Syria.
Fallout From the Battle With ISIS for Kobani
Weeks of ISIS attacks and coalition airstrikes have resulted in widespread damage across the Syrian border town of Kobani, according to an analysis by Unitar/Unosat. The violence has also forced many of residents to flee north into Turkey. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Satellite images by DigitalGlobe via Unitar/Unosat
Sept. 6, 2014
Oct. 15
200 feet
damaged
buildings
CRATER
damaged
buildings
Sept. 6, 2014
Oct. 15
200 FEET
Turkey
ground
Carved out
for car
storage
border
crossing
syria
Sept. 6, 2014
Oct. 15
200 feet
Refugee
Camp
Sept. 6, 2014
Oct. 15
200 feet
damaged
buildings
CRATER
damaged
buildings
Satellite images by DigitalGlobe via Unitar/Unosat
ISIS Solidifies Control of Anbar Province
Since August, Anbar Province has been the scene of intense back-and-forth fighting with the Islamic State. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Source: Institute for the Study of War
Rawa
Area of
detail
Ana
IRAQ
Haditha
Samarra
Barwana
Tharthar
Lake
Al-Asad air base
Hit
Kubaysa
ISIS
Iraqi government
Contested
Captured or contested since Sept. 1
Baghdad
Ramadi
Falluja
Area of
detail
Haditha
IRAQ
Tharthar
Lake
Al-Asad air base
Hit
Kubaysa
ISIS
Iraqi government
Contested
Captured or contested since Sept. 1
Ramadi
Falluja
Source: Institute for the Study of War
Watching as ISIS Attacks a Border Town
As of Thursday, Turkey had refused to intervene in the Islamic State’s tightening siege of the Syrian border town of Kobani, in spite of pressure from the White House and demonstrations in Turkey and Europe by angry Kurds. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
CITY OF KOBANI
Border
SYRIA
Mine fields
Turkish tanks
TURKEY
Turkish Kurds
watch the Islamist
assault to the city
while Turkish
tanks stand.
SYRIA
CITY OF KOBANI
Border
Mine fields
Turkish tank
TURKEY
Turkish Kurds watch the Islamist assault to the city while Turkish tanks stand.
ISIS Battles Kurds Over Syrian Border Town
Turkish troops continued to watch from a hilltop across the border as fighting raged between the Islamic State and Kurds in the Syrian border town of Kobani. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Source: Satellite image by DigitalGlobe, via Google Earth
Turkish armored units
enforced border crossing.
TURKEY
Mursitpinar
Minefields
Minefields
SYRIA
To Jerablus
A huge plume
rose in this area
Wednesday.
Black ISIS flag
visible on hilltop.
Kobani
Airstrikes in this area
have targeted tanks
and armed vehicles.
Five latest U.S.
airstrikes targeted areas
south of the city only.
1 mile
500 miles to Baghdad
Turkish armored units enforced border crossing.
Mursitpinar
TURKEY
Minefields
To Jarablus
SYRIA
A huge plume
rose in this area
Wednesday.
Black ISIS flag
visible on hilltop.
Kobani
Five latest U.S.
airstrikes targeted areas
south of the city only.
1 mile
Source: Satellite image by DigitalGlobe, via Google Earth
Amid Airstrikes Against ISIS, Refugees Flee Syria
More than three million refugees have fled Syria since 2012. Most have crossed the border to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, with smaller numbers going to Iraq and Egypt. Only about 12 percent live in the large refugee camps that have been built; many of the rest live in substandard shelters in towns and villages. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Source: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Turkey
843,779
Konya
Refugee camps
Tabriz
Adana
Iran
Aleppo
IRAQI
KURDISTAN
Raqqa
Mosul
Kirkuk
syria
Lebanon
1,185,275
Euphrates
ISIS-controlled areas
Beirut
Mediterranean Sea
Damascus
Baghdad
Iraq
215,303
as of Sept. 15
Tel Aviv
Amman
Najaf
Gaza
israel
Egypt
139,625
Jordan
615,792
saudi
arabia
Number of refugees
Cairo
Low
high
Refugee camps
NO. of refugees
Turkey
843,779
Low
high
Aleppo
Raqqa
syria
Lebanon
1,185,275
Damascus
Iraq
215,303
as of Sept. 15
israel
Egypt
139,625
Jordan
615,792
saudi
arabia
Source: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, Day-by-Day
Source: Based on Defense Department statements
Source: Based on Defense Department statements
The Air Campaign Against the Islamic State Moves to Syria
The United States and Arab allies began a bombing campaign against the Islamic State early Tuesday, targeting bases, training camps and checkpoints in at least four provinces in Syria. Separately, the United States Central Command attacked Khorasan, a network of Al Qaeda veterans suspected of plotting terror attacks on Western targets. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Sources: Defense Department; Institute for the Study of War
100 miles
TURKEY
Attack on
Khorasan group
in this area
Hasaka
IRAN
Mosul
IRAQI
KURDISTAN
Aleppo
Raqqa
Kirkuk
Deir al-Zour
Locations hit
by airstrikes
IRAQ
Euphrates
Abu Kamal
Tigris
SYRIA
LEBANON
Approximate
areas under full
Islamic State control
Damascus
Baghdad
Falluja
ISRAEL
JORDAN
TURKEY
100 miles
IRAQI
KURDISTAN
IRAN
Mosul
Hasaka
Aleppo
Erbil
Raqqa
Attack on Khorasan
group near this area
Kirkuk
IRAQ
Deir al-Zour
Locations hit
by airstrikes
Euphrates
Abu Kamal
Tigris
SYRIA
Approximate
areas under full
Islamic State control
LEBANON
Damascus
Baghdad
Falluja
Rutba
Attacks on
Khorasan
ISIS locations hit
by airstrikes
TURKEY
IRAN
IRAQI
KURDISTAN
Aleppo
Raqqa
IRAQ
Deir al-Zour
Homs
Tigris
SYRIA
Tigris
Euphrates
Baghdad
Damascus
100 miles
Sources: Defense Department; Institute for the Study of War
Some of the ISIS Locations Struck in Syria
American officials said the first day of airstrikes in Syria destroyed or damaged multiple Islamic State sites in areas ranging from urban centers to remote compounds. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Sources: Satellite images on left from DigitalGlobe, via Google Earth; images of targeted structures from the Defense Department
SYRIA
Command and Control American F-22 fighters hit this building, which officials said was used for communications and storing weapons.
500 FEET
SYRIA
Finance Center The building is in central Raqqa, the group’s de facto capital.
500 FEET
SYRIA
Storage This facility is near a major border crossing with Iraq.
500 FEET
500 FEET
SYRIA
500 FEET
SYRIA
500 FEET
SYRIA
SYRIA
500 FEET
Command and Control American F-22 fighters hit this building, which officials said was used for communications and storing weapons.
SYRIA
500 FEET
Finance Center The building is in central Raqqa, the group’s de facto capital.
SYRIA
500 FEET
Storage This facility is near a major border crossing with Iraq.
Sources: Satellite images on left from DigitalGlobe, via Google Earth; images of targeted structures from the Defense Department
Areas Under ISIS Control
Having occupied crucial sections of Syria over the past year and more recently seizing vast areas of Iraq, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria controls territory greater than many countries and now rivals Al Qaeda as the world’s most powerful jihadist group. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Sources: Caerus Associates, Long War Journal, Institute for the Study of War
ISIS-controlled places |
Areas under full control |
Areas of recurring attacks |
Sparsely populated areas |
ISIS-controlled places
Areas under full control
Areas of recurring attacks
Sparsely populated areas
Sources: Caerus Associates, Long War Journal, Institute for the Study of War
Strikes in Northern Iraq
American fighter jets and drones attacked 68 targets in northern Iraq in the first week and a half of airstrikes, according to the U.S. Central Command. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Note: Strikes were not reported comprehensively day by day, so some may be missing from daily tallies.
Strikes Reported
Each Day
Area of
detail
AugUST 8
IRAQ
Baghdad
KURDISH
AUTONOMOUS
REGION
Mosul Dam
AUGUST 18
0
15
Mosul
Mount Sinjar
Erbil
Iraq
Kirkuk
Near Mount Sinjar
At least 13 strikes
Near Mosul Dam
At least 35 Strikes
Near Erbil
At least 20 Strikes
Strikes Reported Each Day
15
0
AUG. 18
Aug. 8
Area of detail
Baghdad
KURDISH
AUTONOMOUS
REGION
Mosul Dam
Mosul
Mount Sinjar
Erbil
Iraq
Near Mount Sinjar
At least 13 strikes
Near Erbil
At least 20 Strikes
Near Mosul Dam
At least 35 Strikes
Mount Sinjar
Thousands of Yazidi refugees were trapped on the mountain after fleeing Islamist fighters. Targets included:
3 armed vehicles5 personnel carriers1 armored vehicle1 Humvee3 trucks1 mortar position4 checkpointsMosul Dam
American strikes allowed Kurdish fighters to regain the dam, which they lost two weeks ago. Targets included:
19 armed vehicles7 Humvees2 antiaircraft guns1 armored vehicle9 fighting positions3 checkpoints2 I.E.D.s2 personnel carriersErbil
Strikes in this area helped repel militants approaching the regional capital. Targets included:
7 armed vehicles1 mobile artillery7 vehicles2 mortar positions1 mine-resistant vehicleNote: Strikes were not reported comprehensively day by day, so some may be missing from daily tallies.
A Closer Look At Mount Sinjar
Tens of thousands of Yazidis, a religious minority group in Iraq, were trapped on Mount Sinjar, besieged by ISIS militants who captured their towns at the foot of the mountain range in early August. Satellite imagery taken Aug. 7 indicates that many of the displaced fled ISIS by driving vehicles up the mountain, where some encountered road blocks and abandoned their cars. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Source: Vehicle locations from satellite imagery by DigitalGlobe via Amnesty International
SYRIA
IRAQ
NORTH
Red dots are vehicles visible in satellite imagery
About 13 miles
TO BORDER
Sinuni
ROADBLOCKS
Kursi
ABOUT 70 MILES
TO MOSUL
25 miles
Bara
Sinjar
Jaddala
Sinjar Mountains
Elevation 4,449 ft.
Area
visible
Area of
assessed
satellite
imagery
Mosul
IRAQ
Baghdad
ABOUT 250 MILES TO BAGHDAD
Area of assessed
satellite imagery
SYRIA
IRAQ
Sinjar
Red indicates
vehicles on mountain
Sinjar Mountains
Elevation 4,449 ft.
Source: Vehicle locations from satellite imagery by DigitalGlobe via Amnesty International
Iraqis Driven From Their Homes by ISIS
The United Nations estimates that militants with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have forced nearly 180,000 families — or more than a million people — from their homes in Iraq. The exodus roughly breaks down into three phases. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Note: The United Nations estimates one Iraqi family is equal to six individuals. Source: IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix
January 1 to May 31
Over 151 days, families, on average, were displaced daily.
Anbar Province
321,210 familiesknown displaced
Months before it became something of a household name, ISIS took control of much of Anbar Province, displacing an estimated 500,000 Iraqis.
June 1 to July 31
Over 61 days, families, on average, were displaced daily.
Anbar Province
321,210 familiesknown displaced
Another half-million Iraqis were displaced in June and July when ISIS captured Mosul and advanced south toward Baghdad.
August 1 to August 6
Over 6 days, families, on average, were displaced daily.
Anbar Province
321,210 familiesknown displaced
In early August, ISIS seized several towns under Kurdish control, displacing Yazidis, Christians and other religious minority groups. Although the United Nations says that the capture of Sinjar may have displaced as many as 33,000 families, that number is not yet included in the official data.
Note: The United Nations estimates one Iraqi family is equal to six individuals. Source: IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix
U.S. Strikes Militants Near Erbil
American jets attacked mobile artillery vehicles that had been shelling Kurdish targets in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region. The city has boomed since the American-led invasion of Iraq. It is home to a growing expatriate community of investment consultants and oil executives, as well as to an American consulate. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Sources: American and Kurdish officials
Mosul
Islamist militants have controlled Iraq's second-largest city since June 10.
Mosul Dam
Captured by
militants on
Thursday.
ABOUT 150 MILES
TO BAGHDAD
Iraq
Mahmour
Bombed by American
jets on Friday.
Gwer
Bombed on Thursday.
About 40
miles TO
ERBIL
About 35
miles TO
ERBIL
Kalak
Historic citadel
of Erbil
United States Consulate
is in this neighborhood
Chammah
ERBIL
AIRPORT
Area
visible
Erbil
Erbil
Kurdish capital
IRAQ
Baghdad
NORTH
Mahmour
Bombed by
American jets
on Friday.
Gwer
Bombed on
Thursday.
Mosul
Islamist militants have
controlled Iraq's second-largest
city since June 10.
Mosul Dam
Captured by militants
on Thursday.
Iraq
About 40 miles
TO ERBIL
About 35 miles
TO ERBIL
Historic citadel
of Erbil
United States Consulate
is in this neighborhood
Area
visible
Erbil
Kurdish capital
Erbil
IRAQ
Baghdad
NORTH
Mahmour
Bombed by American
jets on Friday.
Mosul Dam
Captured by militants
on Thursday.
Gwer
Bombed on
Thursday.
Mosul
About 40 miles TO ERBIL
Erbil
Kurdish
capital
Iraq
NORTH
Sources: American and Kurdish officials
Iraq’s Tangle of Insurgent Groups
Though ISIS has grown to be the most powerful militant group in Iraq, its foothold in the country relies on negotiating a shifting tangle of smaller groups and alliances. This is a snapshot of the active militant groups in provinces north and west of Baghdad, based on information from the Pentagon and other U.S. officials and reporting by Times journalists in Iraq. Related article »
Related Maps and Multimedia »
Naqshbandia Order/J.R.T.N. »
Baathist
1920 Revolution Brigades »
Baathist
Islamic Army of Iraq »
Salafist
Mujahedeen Army »
Salafist
Khata'ib al-Mustapha »
Salafist
Army of Muhammad »
Salafist
Khata'ib Tawrat al-Ashreen »
Anti-government Sunni Tribe
Ansar al-Islam/Ansar al-Sunna »
Islamist Jihadist
Opportunity and Hazard for Iraq’s Kurds
In northern Iraq, Kurds control a semiautonomous region that is more economically secure because of access to oil, and relatively stable because of a well-trained military force known as the pesh merga.
Recent gains by militants in Iraq prompted the pesh merga to take control of towns (), including the oil-rich area around Kirkuk. The regional government hopes to hold a referendum on independence soon, but faces pressure from the United States and other countries to remain a part of Iraq.
Related Maps and Multimedia »
Related article »
Sources: Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project, Caerus Associates, Long War Journal, Institute for the Study of War
Turkey
PREDOMINANTLY
KURDISH AREAS
Iran
Al Kasik
military base
Rabia
Aleppo
Mosul
Sinjar
Kirkuk
Syria
Tuz
Khurmatu
Leb.
Khanaqin
Kurdish autonomous region
Damascus
Baghdad
Iraq
JORDAN
Amman
Najaf
Turkey
PREDOMINANTLY
KURDISH AREAS
Iran
Al Kasik
military base
Rabia
Sinjar
Mosul
Syria
Kirkuk
Tuz
Khurmatu
Khanaqin
Kurdish autonomous region
Baghdad
Iraq
Najaf
Sources: Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project, Caerus Associates, Long War Journal, Institute for the Study of War
Refugees From Two Countries in Turmoil
More than a million Iraqis have been displaced this year, according to new estimates by the United Nations, worsening a regional refugee crisis stemming from Syria’s civil war. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Source: United Nations
turkey
Syrian RefugeesMost of the Syrians who have been displaced have fled to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Nearly all of those fleeing to Iraq have gone to the Kurdish autonomous region.
iran
Mosul
Raqqa
Erbil
Aleppo
Kurdish
autonomous
region
Kirkuk
syria
lebanon
Damascus
Thousands of
refugees at
destination
Baghdad
iraq
ISRAEL
jordan
10
100
Saudi Arabia
turkey
iran
Displaced IraqisThe rapid advance of Sunni militants from Mosul toward Baghdad displaced an estimated 500,000 Iraqis in recent weeks, adding to the hundreds of thousands displaced earlier this year. Many have gone to the already crowded camps in the Kurdish autonomous region.
Mosul
Raqqa
Erbil
Aleppo
Kirkuk
syria
leb.
Damascus
iraq
Baghdad
jordan
Amman
ISRAEL
Saudi Arabia
THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES
AT DESTINATION
10
100
Mosul
Aleppo
syria
Kurdish
autonomous
region
Leb.
Damascus
Baghdad
iraq
jordan
Syrian RefugeesMost of the Syrians who have been displaced have fled to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Nearly all of those fleeing to Iraq have gone to the Kurdish autonomous region.
turkey
Mosul
Erbil
Aleppo
Kirkuk
syria
leb.
Damascus
iraq
Baghdad
jordan
Displaced IraqisThe rapid advance of Sunni militants from Mosul toward Baghdad displaced an estimated 500,000 Iraqis in recent weeks, adding to the hundreds of thousands displaced earlier this year. Many have gone to the already crowded camps in the Kurdish autonomous region.
Source: United Nations
How Syria and Iraq’s Borders Evolved
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is trying to establish its own Sunni state across borders that have their origins in the Ottoman Empire and post World War I diplomacy. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Sources: Rand, McNally & Co. World Atlas (1911 Ottoman Empire map); United Kingdom National Archives (Sykes-Picot); Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project (religious and ethnic map)
- Ottoman Empire
- Sykes-Picot Agreement
- Current Boundaries
Ottoman provincial borders
Current borders
Adana
Turkey
Persia
Aleppo
Aleppo
Nicosia
Mosul
Iran
Zor
Beirut
Syria
Lebanon
Beirut
Lebanon
Damascus
Baghdad
Syria
Iraq
Beirut
Baghdad
Tel Aviv
Amman
Jerusalem
Israel
Basra
Jordan
Jerusalem
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Kuwait
Ottoman provincial borders
Current borders
Turkey
Adana
Persia
Aleppo
Aleppo
Mosul
Zor
Iran
Beirut
Syria
Lebanon
Lebanon
Damascus
Baghdad
Syria
Beirut
Baghdad
Iraq
Tel Aviv
Israel
Basra
Jerusalem
Saudi Arabia
Sykes-Picot
Current borders
Turkey
French Control
Aleppo
Independent Arab states
under French influence
Nicosia
Iran
Syria
Lebanon
British
Control
Beirut
Damascus
Iraq
Independent
Arab states under
British influence
International
Zone
Baghdad
Tel Aviv
Amman
British Control
Jerusalem
Israel
Jordan
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Kuwait
Sykes-Picot
Current borders
Turkey
French
Control
Independent Arab states
under French influence
Iran
Syria
British
Control
Damascus
Baghdad
Iraq
International
Zone
Independent
Arab states under
British influence
British
Control
Israel
Jordan
Saudi Arabia
Shiite
Sunni
Shiite/Sunni mixed
Other religions
Kurdish
Turkey
Aleppo
Nicosia
Iran
Syria
Lebanon
Beirut
Damascus
Iraq
Baghdad
Tel Aviv
Amman
Jerusalem
Israel
Jordan
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Kuwait
Shiite
Sunni
Shiite/Sunni mixed
Other religions
Kurdish
Turkey
Aleppo
Iran
Syria
Lebanon
Damascus
Baghdad
Iraq
Tel Aviv
Israel
Jordan
Saudi Arabia
Ottoman Empire
Before WWI, the Middle East was divided into several administrative provinces under the Ottoman Empire. Modern Iraq is roughly made up of the Ottoman provinces of Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra.
Sykes-Picot Agreement
In 1916, Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot, British and French diplomats, secretly drew the first map to divide up the Ottoman Empire, beginning a series of border negotiations that led to the establishment of British and French mandates in 1920.
Religious and Ethnic Regions Today
Iraq's current boundaries bring together different, often adversarial, groups under one mixed national identity that has been strained by conflict. Still, if Iraq were to split, partition would not be so simple as drawing new borders along religious or ethnic lines.
Sources: Rand, McNally & Co. World Atlas (1911 Ottoman Empire map); United Kingdom National Archives (Sykes-Picot); Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project (religious and ethnic map)
Who Controls the Border Crossings?
Beginning on June 20 and in a rapid succession, ISIS fighters captured the western border crossings at Qaim, Waleed and Trebil. More recently the Iraqi government claims to have retaken some crossings. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Sources: Caerus Associates, Long War Journal, Institute for the Study of War
Border crossing Crossing controlled by ISIS
TO DAMASCUS
TO ALEPPO
TURKEY
Tanf
Controlled by
Syrian government
SYRIA
Euphrates
River
JORDAN
Yaroubia
Syrian
Kurdish
forces
Karamah
Jordanian
Army
SYRIAN
DESERT
Waleed
Unclear
Trebil
Unclear
Bukamal
ISIS
WESTERN
BORDER
OF IRAQ
Rabia
Iraqi Kurdish
pesh merga
Area of
detail
Qaim
ISIS
SYRIA
iraq
NORTH
IRAQ
JORDAN
30 MILES
TO BAGHDAD
Area of
detail
SYRIA
WESTERN
BORDER
OF IRAQ
IRAQ
JORDAN
Yaroubia
Controlled by
Syrian Kurdish forces
Rabia
Iraqi Kurdish
pesh merga
iraq
SYRIA
Euphrates
River
TO ALEPPO
Bukamal
ISIS
Qaim
ISIS
SYRIAN
DESERT
TO BAGHDAD
Tanf
Syrian
government
Waleed
Unclear
TO
DAMASCUS
Trebil
Unclear
Karamah
Jordanian Army
NORTH
30 MILES
JORDAN
Syria and
Jordan
Karamah
Control Jordanian Army
The Jordanian army has increased security at the crossing, which remains open, but with little traffic.
Tanf
Control Syrian government
Bukamal
ControlISIS
Seized June 25
A local agreement between ISIS and the Nusra Front on June 25 effectively placed Bukamal under ISIS control. By June 30, ISIS had wrested full control of the town and border crossing.
Yaroubia
Control Syrian Kurdish forces
Seized October 2013
This side is controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces affiliated with a party that is engaged in a power struggle with Iraqi Kurdish leaders.
Iraq
Trebil
Control Unclear
ISIS took this crossing on June 22 after Iraqi forces fled, but recent reports of vehicle traffic from Jordan indicate that the crossing may be back the hands of the government.
Waleed
Control Unclear
ISIS took this crossing on June 22. The Iraqi government said that it is back in control of the crossing, but this could not be confirmed.
Qaim
Control ISIS
Seized June 20
ISIS took control of the municipal council, customs office, border crossing and Iraqi police station, increasing its already significant presence on the main route between Baghdad and Aleppo. The Iraqi government said it abandoned the crossing in a strategic move to concentrate forces in Baghdad.
Rabia
Control Iraqi Kurdish pesh merga
Seized June 10
Kurdish pesh merga forces secured this crossing on June 10 immediately following the fall of Mosul.
Sources: Caerus Associates, Long War Journal, Institute for the Study of War
Consequences of Sectarian Violence on Baghdad’s Neighborhoods
Baghdad became highly segregated in the years after the American-led invasion of Iraq. The city’s many mixed neighborhoods hardened into enclaves along religious and ethnic divisions. These maps, based on the work of Michael Izady for Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project, show how the city divided from 2003 to 2009. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Source: Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project
Sunni majority Shiite majority Christian majority Mixed areas
2003
Sadr
City
Kadhimiya
Adhamiya
BAGHDAD
Green Zone
Baghdad
Airport
Tigris River
2 miles
2009
Adhamiya
Huriya
BAGHDAD
Green Zone
Amiriya
Baghdad
Airport
Tigris River
2 miles
2003: Before the Invasion
Before the American invasion, Baghdad’s major sectarian groups lived mostly side by side in mixed neighborhoods. The city’s Shiite and Sunni populations were roughly equal, according to Juan Cole, a University of Michigan professor and Middle East expert.
2009: Violence Fuels Segregation
Sectarian violence exploded in 2006. Families living in areas where another sect was predominant were threatened with violence if they did not move. By 2009 Shiites were a majority, with Sunnis reduced to about 10 percent to 15 percent of the population.
• Kadhimiya, a historically Shiite neighborhood, is home to a sacred Shiite shrine.
• Adhamiya, a historically Sunni neighborhood, contains the Abu Hanifa Mosque, a Sunni landmark.
• The Green Zone became the heavily fortified center of American operations during the occupation.
• Sadr City was the center of the insurgent Mahdi Army, led by the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr.
• Huriya was transformed in 2006 when the Mahdi Army pushed out hundreds of families in a brutal spasm of sectarian cleansing.
• More than 8,000 displaced families relocated to Amiriya, the neighborhood where the Sunni Awakening began in Baghdad.
• Adhamiya, a Sunni island in Shiite east Baghdad, was walled and restricted along with other neighborhoods in 2007 for security.
• Neighborhoods east of the Tigris River are generally more densely populated than areas to the west.
2003
Sadr
City
Kadhimiya
Adhamiya
BAGHDAD
Green Zone
Baghdad
Airport
Tigris River
2 miles
2003: Before the Invasion
Before the American invasion, Baghdad’s major sectarian groups lived mostly side by side in mixed neighborhoods. The city’s Shiite and Sunni populations were roughly equal, according to Juan Cole, a University of Michigan professor and Middle East expert.
• Kadhimiya, a historically Shiite neighborhood, is home to a sacred Shiite shrine.
• Adhamiya, a historically Sunni neighborhood, contains the Abu Hanifa Mosque, a Sunni landmark.
• The Green Zone became the heavily fortified center of American operations during the occupation.
• Sadr City was the center of the insurgent Mahdi Army, led by the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr.
2009
Adhamiya
Huriya
BAGHDAD
Green Zone
Amiriya
Baghdad
Airport
Tigris River
2 miles
2009: Violence Fuels Segregation
Sectarian violence exploded in 2006. Families living in areas where another sect was predominant were threatened with violence if they did not move. By 2009 Shiites were a majority, with Sunnis reduced to about 10 percent to 15 percent of the population.
• Huriya was transformed in 2006 when the Mahdi Army pushed out hundreds of families in a brutal spasm of sectarian cleansing.
• More than 8,000 displaced families relocated to Amiriya, the neighborhood where the Sunni Awakening began in Baghdad.
• Adhamiya, a Sunni island in Shiite east Baghdad, was walled and restricted along with other neighborhoods in 2007 for security.
• Neighborhoods east of the Tigris River are generally more densely populated than areas to the west.
Source: Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project
Battle for the Baiji Oil Refinery
Witnesses reported that Sunni extremists seized Iraq’s largest oil refinery on June 18 after fighting the Iraqi Army for a week, but officials disputed the reports and the situation remains unclear. Workers were evacuated, and the facility, which provides oil for domestic consumption to 11 Iraqi provinces, including Baghdad, was shut down. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Source: Satellite image by NASA
ABOUT 100
MILES TO
MOSUL
ABOUT 50 MILES
TO KIRKUK
Power
plant
1
Tigris
River
Oil refinery
Employee
dormitories
Village
Employee
village
Village
Smoke plume
at 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday.
Baiji
ABOUT 115 MILES
TO BAGHDAD
1 MILE
1 MILE
Oil refinery
Power
plant
ABOUT 100
MILES TO
MOSUL
Employee
dormitories
Village
Employee
village
Tigris
River
Village
Baiji
Smoke plume
at 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday.
ABOUT 115 MILES
TO BAGHDAD
Source: Satellite image by NASA
Encroaching on Baghdad
Since seizing Mosul on June 10, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been attacking towns along the main highway heading south, coming closer and closer to the capital. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Key Towns attacked Bomb attacks
ABOUT 140 MILES
TO MOSUL
Miles from
Central Baghdad
ABOUT 80 MILES
TO KIRKUK
Several clashes occurred at the outskirts of Samarra, where Shiite militiamen have been sent to protect the Al-Askari Shrine.
70
Adhaim
June 15
Samarra
JUNE 11, 13, 17
60
Al-Mutasim
JUNE 14
Dhuluiya
JUNE 12
50
Ishaqi
Muqdadiya
The Iraqi army retook control of Ishaqi and Muqdadiya on June 14. In Muqdadiya, a Shiite militia assisted the government forces.
40
Dujail
JUNE 14
30
Militants took control of several neighborhoods in Baquba on June 16 but were repulsed by security officers after a three-hour gun battle. Later, 44 Sunni prisoners were killed in a government-controlled police station.
Baquba
June 16, 17
Tarmiyah
JUNE 11
20
Falluja and many towns in the western province of Anbar have been under ISIS control for about six months.
Tigris
River
10
At least five bomb attacks occurred in Baghdad, mainly in Shiite areas, in the week after the rebel group took Mosul. The bodies of four young men were found shot on June 17 in a neighborhood controlled by Shiite militiamen.
Sadr City
Kadhimiya
Falluja
Bab al-Sheikh
Al-Bab Al-Sharqi
Baghdad
Saidiyah
Key Towns attacked Bomb attacks
Miles from
Central Baghdad
70
Adhaim
Samarra
60
Al-Mutasim
Dhuluiya
Muqdadiya
Ishaqi
40
Dujail
30
Baquba
Tarmiyah
20
10
Falluja
Baghdad
Several clashes occurred at the outskirts of Samarra, where Shiite militiamen have been sent to protect the Al-Askari Shrine.
The Iraqi army retook control of Ishaqi and Muqdadiya on June 14. In Muqdadiya, a Shiite militia assisted the government forces.
Militants took control of several neighborhoods in Baquba on June 16 but were repulsed by security officers after a three-hour gun battle. Later, 44 Sunni prisoners were killed in a government-controlled police station.
At least five bomb attacks occurred in Baghdad, mainly in Shiite areas, in the week after the rebel group took Mosul. The bodies of four young men were found shot on June 17 in a neighborhood controlled by Shiite militiamen.
Falluja and many towns in the western province of Anbar have been under ISIS control for about six months.
Ten Years of ISIS Attacks in Iraq
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Sunni militant group that staged a stunning operation to seize Iraq’s second largest city, has been fueling sectarian violence in the region for years. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Sources: Global Terrorism Database, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (attack data); Congressional Research Service; Council on Foreign Relations; Long War Journal; Institute for the Study of War
100
80
60
Attacks That Could Be Attributed to ISIS
40
20
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Mosul
Kirkuk
Baghdad
IRAQ
Basra
2004
51 attacks
2005
58 attacks
2006
5 attacks
2007
56 attacks
2008
62 attacks
2009
78 attacks
2010
86 attacks
2011
34 attacks
2012
603 attacks
2013
419 attacks
100
80
Attacks That Could
Be Attributed to ISIS
60
40
20
’04
’05
’06
’07
’08
’09
’10
’11
’12
’13
Mosul
Baghdad
IRAQ
Basra
2004
51 attacks
2005
58 attacks
2006
5 attacks
2007
56 attacks
2008
62 attacks
2009
78 attacks
2010
86 attacks
2011
34 attacks
2012
603 attacks
2013
419 attacks
2004-05 The group emerges as “Al Qaeda in Iraq” following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Its goal is to provoke a civil war.
2006-07 The group’s February 2006 bombing of one of Iraq's most revered Shiite shrines ignites sectarian violence across the country. After merging with several other Sunni insurgent groups, it changes its name to the Islamic State of Iraq.
2008-10 I.S.I. claims responsibility for more than 200 attacks, many in densely-populated areas around Baghdad.
2011-12 The group is relatively quiet for most of 2011, but re-emerges after American troops withdraw from Iraq.
2013 Seeing new opportunities for growth, I.S.I. enters Syria’s civil war and changes its name to reflect a new aim of establishing an Islamic religious state spanning Iraq and Syria. Its success in Syria bleeds over the border to Iraq.
2004-05 The group emerges as “Al Qaeda in Iraq” following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Its goal is to provoke a civil war.
2006-07 The group’s February 2006 bombing of one of Iraq's most revered Shiite shrines ignites sectarian violence across the country. After merging with several other Sunni insurgent groups, it changes its name to the Islamic State of Iraq.
2008-10 I.S.I. claims responsibility for more than 200 attacks, many in densely-populated areas around Baghdad.
2011-12 The group is relatively quiet for most of 2011, but re-emerges after American troops withdraw from Iraq.
2013 Seeing new opportunities for growth, I.S.I. enters Syria’s civil war and changes its name to reflect a new aim of establishing an Islamic religious state spanning Iraq and Syria. Its success in Syria bleeds over the border to Iraq.
2004-05 The group emerges as “Al Qaeda in Iraq” following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Its goal is to provoke a civil war.
2006-07 The group’s February 2006 bombing of one of Iraq's most revered Shiite shrines ignites sectarian violence across the country. After merging with several other Sunni insurgent groups, it changes its name to the Islamic State of Iraq.
2008-10 I.S.I. claims responsibility for more than 200 attacks, many in densely-populated areas around Baghdad.
2011-12 The group is relatively quiet for most of 2011, but re-emerges after American troops withdraw from Iraq.
2013 Seeing new opportunities for growth, I.S.I. enters Syria’s civil war and changes its name to reflect a new aim of establishing an Islamic religious state spanning Iraq and Syria. Its success in Syria bleeds over the border to Iraq.
2004-05 The group emerges as “Al Qaeda in Iraq” following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Its goal is to provoke a civil war. | 2006-07 The group’s February 2006 bombing of one of Iraq's most revered Shiite shrines ignites sectarian violence across the country. After merging with several other Sunni insurgent groups, it changes its name to the Islamic State of Iraq. | 2008-10 I.S.I. claims responsibility for more than 200 attacks, many in densely-populated areas around Baghdad. | 2011-12 The group is relatively quiet for most of 2011, but re-emerges after American troops withdraw from Iraq. | 2013 Seeing new opportunities for growth, I.S.I. enters Syria’s civil war and changes its name to reflect a new aim of establishing an Islamic religious state spanning Iraq and Syria. Its success in Syria bleeds over the border to Iraq. |
Sources: Global Terrorism Database, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (attack data); Congressional Research Service; Council on Foreign Relations; Long War Journal; Institute for the Study of War
A Week of Rapid Advances After Taking Mosul
After sweeping across the porous border from Syria to overrun Mosul, insurgents aligned with the jihadist Islamic State in Iraq and Syria continued to press south down the main north-south highway toward Baghdad. Related Maps and Multimedia » Related article »
Mosul
Area of
detail
Tikrit
June 13
June 10
Mosul captured
Baghdad
Iraq
Jalawla
Kirkuk
Sadiyah
June 11
Tikrit
captured
Basra
June 12
Dhuluiya captured
June 11-12
Samarra
Tigris R.
About 110 miles
Attacks in
the days after
Mosul captured
30
June 11
Parts of Baiji
captured
20
30
Baghdad
Ishaki Dujail
June 14
Taji
Lake Tharthar
Falluja
Ramadi
Euphrates R.
After capturing Mosul, Tikrit and parts of a refinery in Baiji, insurgents attacked Samarra, where Shiite militias helped pro-government forces. Then, they seized Jalawla and Sadiyah but were forced back by government troops backed by Kurdish forces. They continued their moves south by Ishaki and Dujail.
June 10
Mosul
captured
Area of
detail
Mosul
Tikrit
Iraq
Baghdad
Basra
About
110
miles
Kirkuk
Tigris R.
Attacks in
the days after
Mosul captured
June 11
Parts of Baiji
captured
30
June 11
Tikrit captured
June 13
Jalawla
30
June 11-12
Samarra attacked
June 12
Dhuluiya
captured
Sadiyah
20
June 14
Ishaki
Lake
Tharthar
Dujail
Taji
Euphrates R.
Ramadi
Baghdad
Falluja
June 10
Mosul
captured
June 11-12
Samarra
attacked
June 12
Dhuluiya
captured
June 13
Jalawla and
Sadiyah
attacked
June 14
Ishaki and
Dujail
attacked
June 11
Parts of
Baiji captured
June 11
Tikrit
captured
Kirkuk
Tigris R.
20
30
About 110 miles
30
Attacks in
the days after
Mosul captured
Baghdad
Taji
Falluja
Lake Tharthar
Mosul
Area of
detail
Ramadi
Tikrit
Euphrates R.
Baghdad
Iraq
Najaf
Basra
What the Militants Want: A Caliphate Across Syria and Iraq
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has vowed to establish a caliphate — a unified Islamic government ruled by a caliph, someone considered to be a successor to Muhammad’s political authority — stretching from western Syria across Iraq to the eastern border with Iran. This map shows the boundaries envisioned by ISIS. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Source: “The Islamic State in Iraq Returns to Diyala” by Jessica Lewis, Institute for the Study of War
turkey
Hasakah
Mosul
Erbil
Aleppo
Raqqa
Kirkuk
Deir al-Zour
iran
Baiji
syria
Tikrit
Homs
Jalawla
lebanon
Samarra
Dhuluiya
Damascus
iraq
Baghdad
israel
saudi
arabia
jordan
kuwait
turkey
Hasakah
Mosul
Aleppo
Kirkuk
syria
iran
Tikrit
Homs
leb.
Samarra
Damascus
Baghdad
iraq
israel
saudi
arabia
jordan
kuwait
Source: “The Islamic State in Iraq Returns to Diyala” by Jessica Lewis, Institute for the Study of War
Attacks Follow Sectarian Lines
The insurgents, originating in Syria, moved through Iraq's Sunni-dominated north and west, occupying cities and towns surrendered by Iraqi soldiers and police. They have largely avoided the Kurd-dominated northeast, but have threatened to march on to Baghdad and into the Shiite-dominated areas of the south. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Source: Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project
Mosul
Kirkuk
Baiji
Tikrit
Dhuluiyah
Samarra
Ramadi
Baghdad
Iraq
Falluja
Tigris
Euphrates River
Basra
Predominant group
Sunni Arab
Shiite Arab
Kurd
50 miles
Source: Dr. M. Izady, Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project
Iraqi Cities, Then and Now
Many of the Iraqi cities that have been attacked and occupied by militants in recent days were also the sites of battles and other major events during the Iraq War. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Video: Iraq’s Factions and Their Goals
A look at the goals of of the three main groups in Iraq — Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish — as the country threatens to split apart along sectarian lines. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Growing Humanitarian Crisis
The United Nations estimates that at least 500,000 Iraqis were displaced by the takeover of Mosul. Food supplies are low and there is limited fresh water and little electricity. An additional 430,000 people were displaced by fighting In Anbar Province, which insurgents have controlled for more than six months. Related Maps and Multimedia »
Video: Behind the Group That Took Mosul
Background on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Islamist group that appears to be in control of the second largest city in Iraq. Related Maps and Multimedia »
By Sarah Almukhtar, Jeremy Ashkenas, Jennifer Daniel, Matthew Ericson, Ford Fessenden, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Bill Marsh, Haeyoun Park, Nilkanth Patel, Archie Tse, Tim Wallace, Derek Watkins, Jeremy White and Karen Yourish
Still, the bulk of the military efforts were conducted by American forces, and reaction in the Middle East was mixed. President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, which is allied with the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, said the airstrikes were illegal because they were not conducted with the approval of Syria’s government, a point later echoed by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, another ally of Syria’s.
The Syrian government itself seemed more accepting, probably because it was glad to see military power brought to bear against forces that have been fighting Mr. Assad and recently killed many of his soldiers. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said the government “backs any international effort that contributes to the fight against terrorists,” whether it is the Islamic State, the Nusra Front “or anyone else.”
Samantha Power, the American ambassador to the United Nations, informed her Syrian counterpart about the strikes ahead of time, but did not seek permission or disclose the timing or targets. “In fact, we warned them to not pose a threat to our aircraft,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, the president’s deputy national security adviser. Mr. Rhodes said Mr. Obama had issued the order for the strikes on Thursday, a day after visiting the United States Central Command headquarters in Tampa that would carry out the operation.
In his public appearances on Tuesday, Mr. Obama cautioned again that the campaign against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, would take time. He also cited the strike on Khorasan, the first time he has mentioned the group in public. “Once again, it must be clear to anyone who would plot against America and try to do Americans harm that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people,” he said at the White House before his departure for New York.
Most officials speaking publicly on Tuesday characterized the Khorasan threat as imminent. Lt. Gen. William C. Mayville Jr., who is in charge of operations for the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, said the terrorist group was nearing “the execution phase of an attack either in Europe or the homeland.”
But one senior counterterrorism official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the group might not have chosen the target, method or even the timing for a strike. An intelligence official said separately that the group was “reaching a stage where they might be able to do something.”
Khorasan is closely allied with the Nusra Front, which is Al Qaeda’s designated affiliate in Syria, according to American intelligence officials. The group, they said, is made up of Qaeda operatives from places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Africa and Chechnya who have traveled to Syria on the orders of Ayman al-Zawahri, the Qaeda leader.
Mr. Holder told Katie Couric of Yahoo News that the United States had followed the group for two years. “I can say that the enhanced security measures that we took” banning uncharged electronic devices on some flights were “based on concerns we had about what the Khorasan group was planning to do,” he said.
The strikes on Tuesday were aimed at the group’s leaders, including Mr. Fadhli, a Kuwaiti associate of Bin Laden’s who moved to Syria last year. Officials said they were not certain if he had been killed, but Twitter accounts associated with jihadist groups said that he and another Khorasan leader, Abu Yusef al-Turki, had died in the airstrikes.
One Twitter user said that by killing Mr. Fadhli, the United States had “presented him a great wish and a most honorable gift” of martyrdom, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant groups’ social media postings.
Lawmakers and terrorism experts said that even if Mr. Fadhli had been killed, it would not necessarily derail the group’s ambitions. “Fadhli is certainly one of the most capable of the Al Qaeda core members,” said Representative Adam B. Schiff, a California Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. “His loss would be significant, but as we’ve seen before, any decapitation is only a short-term gain. The hydra will grow another head.”
Congressional leaders largely rallied behind the strikes, including Republicans who oppose the president on most other issues, although some of them still faulted his strategy and many disagreed on whether he needed approval from lawmakers. The administration contends he does not need new action by Congress because of the authorization it passed targeting Al Qaeda and affiliates after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
“ISIL is a direct threat to the safety and security of the United States and our allies,” the House speaker, John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, said in a statement. “I support the airstrikes launched by the president, understanding that this is just one step in what must be a larger effort to destroy and defeat this terrorist organization.”
The participation of the five Arab countries may bolster Mr. Obama’s argument that the campaign does not pit the United States against the Sunni Muslim world, but is, rather, a broad alliance of Sunni Muslim countries against a radical group. Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been heavily involved in Syria’s civil war, so joining the coalition was merely a more direct form of intervention.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain worry that their citizens who joined the Islamic State’s forces will later return and plot attacks at home. “This is the right way to do it, if you want to defeat the Islamic State, because you cannot cut off the tail and leave the head,” said Ebtesam al-Ketbi, the chairwoman of the Emirates Policy Center.
But evident elsewhere was a familiar current of cynicism about the motives behind the strikes. The United States and its allies “want to divide our lands, destroy our nations, occupy our homelands and monopolize our choices, without shedding one drop of their blue blood,” Massoud al-Hennawi wrote in Al Ahram, a state-run newspaper in Egypt. “They have no problem that our cheap Arab blood flows in rivers, if it achieves their goals and purposes.”