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Military activities of ISIL

Military of ISIL
İD bayrağı ile bir militan.jpg
A ISIL fighter carrying the militant group's flag on Tall Dabiq which overlooks the town of Dabiq in 2014.
Country Main:
 Iraq
 Syria
 Tunisia
Libya Libya
 Nigeria
 Yemen
Size

In Iraq and Syria
200,000 (Kurdish claims in 2014)
70,000 (Russian military estimate in 2014)
100,000 (IS claim in 2015)
20,000–31,000 (CIA estimate in 2014)
20,000–25,000 (CIA estimate in early 2016)
6,500 (U.S. military estimate in October 2017)

Outside Iraq and Syria

  • West Africa: 7,000-10,000 (Feb. 2015 estimate of number of Boko Haram fighters)
  • Libya: estimates vary; 5,000-6,500 (Feb. 2016, New York Times citing Pentagon officials); "about 5,000" (Feb. 2016, al-Jazeera citing "security analyst); "up to 6,500" (Feb. 2016, CNN citing "several U.S. intelligence officials").
  • Jordan: several thousand members of jihadist Salafist groups in the country that have pledged allegiance to ISIL; belong to (Jordan Times, 2014).
    Several Jordanian jihadist ideologues have endorsed ISIL. ISIL sleeper cells exist in the country (about 20 have been killed by Jordanian security forces, and many more arrested, from 2014 to April 2016). Over 2,000 Jordanians have become ISIL foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria.
  • Turkey: nearly 1,000 arrested by Turkish security forces in 2015
  • Egypt: between 500 and 1,000 members of ISIL's Sinai Province, primarily in North Sinai Governorate where Sinai insurgency is ongoing (May 2016, Wilson Center estimate).
  • Yemen: "dozens" (Jan. 2015, CNN citing Yemeni official); "about 300" (June 2015, Aimen Dean estimate to Reuters). By March 2016, ISIL numbers and activity in Yemen were on the decline
  • Afghanistan and Pakistan (ISIL's "Khorasan Province"): 300 (Jan. 2015, ISIL commander claim, cited by New York Times) 2,000, including 500 in allied Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan group (Sept. 2015 estimate by spokesman for Abdul Rashid Dostum, reported by the Associated Press)
  • Somalia: 200-300
  • Algeria: unknown number
  • Saudi Arabia: unknown number, presence in central Saudi Arabia; Saudi authorities have arrested more than 1,600 suspected ISIL supporters (Wilson Center)
  • Russia: unknown number, North Caucasus region (Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Kabardino-Balkaria). In June 2015, ISIL accepted the pledge of allegiance of the formerly al-Qaeda-affiliated Caucasus Emirate, which became ISIL's "Caucasus Province" (Wilson Center)
  • Jammu and Kashmir, India: about 30 youth from area believed to have become ISIL foreign fighters (October 2014, Times of India citing security agencies).
  • Europe: unknown number; ISIL is believed to have attempted to smuggle militants to Europe
Headquarters Raqqa
Engagements

Iraq War

International campaign against ISIL

Iraqi insurgency

Syrian Civil War

Second Libyan Civil War

Sinai insurgency

List of wars and battles involving ISIL Yemeni Civil War (2015)

Commanders
Current
commander

Abu Suleiman al-Naser 
(Current Head of Military Council)

Insignia
Black Standard (variant) AQMI Flag asymmetric.svg

In Iraq and Syria
200,000 (Kurdish claims in 2014)
70,000 (Russian military estimate in 2014)
100,000 (IS claim in 2015)
20,000–31,000 (CIA estimate in 2014)
20,000–25,000 (CIA estimate in early 2016)
6,500 (U.S. military estimate in October 2017)

Outside Iraq and Syria

Iraq War

International campaign against ISIL

Iraqi insurgency

Syrian Civil War

Second Libyan Civil War

Sinai insurgency

List of wars and battles involving ISIL Yemeni Civil War (2015)

Abu Suleiman al-Naser 
(Current Head of Military Council)

The military of ISIL is the fighting force of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The total force size has been estimated from tens of thousands to over two hundred thousand. ISIL's armed forces grew quickly during 2014. The ISIL military, including groups incorporated into it in 2014, openly operates and controls territory in Syria, multiple cities in Libya, and Nigeria. In October 2016, it conquered the city of Qandala in Puntland, Somalia. It also has had border clashes with and made incursions into Lebanon, Iran, and Jordan. ISIL-linked groups operate in Algeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and in West Africa (Cameroon, Niger, and Chad). In January 2015, ISIL was also confirmed to have a military presence in Afghanistan and in Yemen.


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Wikipedia

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