Islamic State still 'global operation,' says Pentagon report
Islamic State leader's killing prompted questions on Turkey's role; our reporting from Idlib, Syria.
Islamic State ‘entrenched’ in Iraq and Syria
According to the latest Pentagon Inspector General report, the Islamic State "claimed fewer attacks in Iraq and Syria but remained entrenched in remote, rugged areas."
IS also continued to provoke sectarian, ethnic and tribal divisions in both Iraq and Syria. In Iraq, IS attacks increased in areas disputed between the federal government and the Kurdistan region.
The quarterly report on Operation Inherent Resolve, the name of the US military mission to defeat IS in Iraq and Syria and set conditions for long-term security cooperation, covers the period from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021. The report was published on Feb. 8, just five days after the US special forces operation in Idlib province in northern Syria that led to the death of IS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi.
