Publications

The Terrorist Army Marching on Baghdad

July 17, 2015 - Jessica D. Lewis
 We're losing Iraq. Mosul, a great city in northern Iraq, now belongs to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The world has changed overnight as a former al Qaeda affiliate wrested a major city from a state by force—and without a fight. Within two days of taking Mosul, ISIS pushed south toward Baghdad, collapsing the Iraqi security forces like dominoes in cities from Mosul to Tikrit. ISIS also attacked the Shiite holy city of Samarra. Baghdad is within their sights.

Iraq Situation Report: July 14 - 16, 2015

July 16, 2015 - Sinan Adnan

PM Abadi and the PM Office spokesperson praised the P5+1 nuclear agreement with Iran, explaining that decreased tension between the U.S. and Iran is in Iraq’s national interest.

Ukraine Crisis Update: July 15, 2015

July 15, 2015 - Hugo Spaulding

Separatists continued to target Ukrainian forces with heavy weapons and small reconnaissance units across the front line in Donbas as both Ukrainian and separatist leaders combatted new internal security threats.

ISIS's Global Strategy: A Wargame

July 15, 2015 - Harleen Gambhir

ISIS is executing a sophisticated global strategy that involves simultaneous efforts in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the wider world. ISW and the U.S. Army War College conducted a wargame early this year to discover the diplomatic and military opportunities and pitfalls likely to arise in the counter-ISIS fight.

Iraq Situation Report: July 11 - 13, 2015

July 13, 2015 - Sinan Adnan

The Iraqi Government officially announced the start of military operations to “recapture Anbar” in western Iraq from ISIS.

Iraq Situation Report: July 09 - 10, 2015

July 10, 2015 - Sinan Adnan

The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), supported by the “Popular Mobilization” and tribal fighters, are pursuing multiple complementary lines of effort in eastern Anbar Province to encircle and isolate Fallujah and cut ISIS supply lines to Ramadi.

Ukraine Crisis Update: July 9, 2015

July 9, 2015 - Hugo Spaulding

Russian-backed separatists continued to launch indirect fire and small probing attacks along the front line in eastern Ukraine against the backdrop of a restart in ceasefire negotiations in Minsk, Belarus on July 7.

Significant Offensives in Syria: June 6 - June 9, 2015

July 9, 2015 - Institute for the Study of War

Syrian rebel factions launched long-awaited offensives against the isolated provincial capitals of Dera’a and Aleppo Cities, located in southern and northern Syria respectively. The fall of either city to rebel forces including Syrian al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra would overturn the stalemate that has long characterized the Syrian Civil War, opening the door to further offensives against core regime terrain in Damascus and the Syrian Coast.

Iraq Situation Report: July 07 - 08, 2015

July 8, 2015 - Sinan Adnan

ISIS continued to launch SVBIED and direct fire attacks against Haditha district in western Anbar, following a SVBIED wave that the ISF largely repelled on July 5-6.

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