"Just over a decade ago, the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) held vast swaths of territory across Iraq and Syria, carried out attacks that shocked the world, and regularly flooded social media with gruesome videos depicting the beheadings of orange-jumpsuited Western captives. The Islamic State was declared wiped out by the U.S., but recent attacks linked by officials to the group suggest it continues to be viable, experts say."
"But by 2019, the ISIS "caliphate" that briefly ruled millions of people in Iraq and Syria over an area about the size of Kentucky, had largely collapsed, following years of U.S.-led operations aimed at dismantling its leadership, reclaiming its territory, and crippling its ability to launch attacks. When the U.S. announced the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi that year, President Trump proclaimed, "we obliterated his caliphate, 100 percent.""
Just over a decade ago the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria, conducted shocking attacks, and posted gruesome execution videos. At its peak the group attracted more than 40,000 foreign fighters from 120 countries. By 2019 the ISIS "caliphate" that briefly ruled millions over an area about the size of Kentucky had largely collapsed after years of U.S.-led operations to dismantle leadership and reclaim territory. The 2019 death of leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi prompted the claim that the caliphate had been obliterated. Recent attacks in Sydney, near Palmyra, and New Orleans have been linked or described as inspired by ISIS, raising questions about continued viability.
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