ISIS is also known as Islamic State in Iraq and Levant & Islamic state. In 2004, the extremist network of Iraq led by Abu Musab Al Zarqawi joined AL Quida to form Al Qaeda in Iraq(AQI) which Zarqawi led until he died in 2006 due to a US strike. In 2010 Amir Abu Bakar al Baghdadi took over the group in 2010 began to expand its operation in eastern Syria in 2011. In 2013 aqi changed its name to ISIS. The group became popular when its militants captured, large territories in northwestern Iraq and eastern Syria. By the end of 2015, it ruled the area with 12 million people and had an annual budget of $1 billion.
It had More than 30000 fighters. In May 2015, ISIS took control of Ramadi the largest city in western Iraq, holding it until Dec 2015.ISIS uses targeted killings, ambush, IED attacks, and suicide in Syria and Iraq. ISIS mostly attacks military targets, civilian defence forces in Iraq, and government Infrastructure. ISIS Revenue comes from oil production, kidnappings, donations from Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait in the name of charity, smuggling, and controlling crops.
Several ISIS leaders have been named global terrorists including haji Abdallah, Abu Bakar Al Baghdadi in 2011, and Abu Musab al Zarqawi in 2003. It lost many of its leaders and its territory, ISIS and its followers remain capable of conducting insurgent operations in Iraq & around the world. Since August 3, 2023, the leader of ISIS has been Abu Hafs al Hashimi al Qurayshi.
