Islamic State Attacks Are On The Rise In Syria And Iraq

By Peter Lawrence, The Chicago Times

January 30, 2022

BEIRUT – After a recent jail break in Syria and an attack on an army barracks in Iraq, the Islamic State is in the mind of many in who lived under their tyranny as attacks increase.

The two attacks were some of the most daring since US coalition forces defeated ISIS in 2019.  Citizens in both Syria and Iraq believe the recent ISIS attacks represent weakness in the current governments to prevent further attacks and may even be a sign of coming economic collapse, ethnic tensions, and the possible return of the ISIS caliphate.

As ISIS lost most of its territory in 2019, its members went underground and waged a low-level insurgency involving bombings, assassinations, and guerilla tactics.  A January 20 prison break in Syria was one of the first large scale ISIS operations to date in which militants stormed the prison to breakout ISIS members that rioted in coordination with the attack.

The jail break operation is also being used by ISIS as a recruiting tool to increase membership and promote the re-establishment of the evil caliphate. According to the Iraqi military, it is currently impossible for ISIS to take control of territory as seen in 2014.

According to intelligence reports, the remnant of ISIS are not collecting taxes or recruiting member, but are rather focusing on terror, assassinations, and kidnappings.