Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?

In the struggle against ISIS and the so-called Islamic State, the United States and its allies continue to achieve significant military victories, as evidenced by the ongoing efforts to liberate the city of Mosul in Iraq. What happens next with the returning or migrating foreign fighters and with wh...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anne Speckhard, Ardian Shajkovci, Ahmet S Yayla
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of St Andrews 2017-02-01
Series:Journal of Terrorism Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jtr.st-andrews.ac.uk/articles/1341
_version_ 1828431847466467328
author Anne Speckhard
Ardian Shajkovci
Ahmet S Yayla
author_facet Anne Speckhard
Ardian Shajkovci
Ahmet S Yayla
author_sort Anne Speckhard
collection DOAJ
description In the struggle against ISIS and the so-called Islamic State, the United States and its allies continue to achieve significant military victories, as evidenced by the ongoing efforts to liberate the city of Mosul in Iraq. What happens next with the returning or migrating foreign fighters and with whatever remains of ISIS’ influence in the digital battle space where up to this point it has been winning? Evidence of the group inspiring, remotely recruiting and directing attacks in Europe and elsewhere, and its continued ability to attract foreign fighters to the actual battlefield makes it clear that ISIS may be losing the ground war in Syria and Iraq but winning in the other areas, especially in the digital battle space. The authors highlight the importance of creating compelling counter-narratives and products that compete with the prolific ISIS online campaigns.
first_indexed 2024-12-10T18:09:36Z
format Article
id doaj.art-04acae87ec394017a3718562a5ae4ed3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2049-7040
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-10T18:09:36Z
publishDate 2017-02-01
publisher University of St Andrews
record_format Article
series Journal of Terrorism Research
spelling doaj.art-04acae87ec394017a3718562a5ae4ed32022-12-22T01:38:30ZengUniversity of St AndrewsJournal of Terrorism Research2049-70402017-02-0181818910.15664/jtr.1341932Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?Anne Speckhard0Ardian Shajkovci1Ahmet S Yayla2International Center for the Study of Violent ExtremismInternational Center for the Study of Violent ExtremismInternational Center for the Study of Violent ExtremismIn the struggle against ISIS and the so-called Islamic State, the United States and its allies continue to achieve significant military victories, as evidenced by the ongoing efforts to liberate the city of Mosul in Iraq. What happens next with the returning or migrating foreign fighters and with whatever remains of ISIS’ influence in the digital battle space where up to this point it has been winning? Evidence of the group inspiring, remotely recruiting and directing attacks in Europe and elsewhere, and its continued ability to attract foreign fighters to the actual battlefield makes it clear that ISIS may be losing the ground war in Syria and Iraq but winning in the other areas, especially in the digital battle space. The authors highlight the importance of creating compelling counter-narratives and products that compete with the prolific ISIS online campaigns.http://jtr.st-andrews.ac.uk/articles/1341ISIS, Syria, Iraq, Caliphate, Counterterrorism, Foreign Fighters
spellingShingle Anne Speckhard
Ardian Shajkovci
Ahmet S Yayla
Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?
Journal of Terrorism Research
ISIS, Syria, Iraq, Caliphate, Counterterrorism, Foreign Fighters
title Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?
title_full Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?
title_fullStr Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?
title_full_unstemmed Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?
title_short Following a Military Defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: What Happens Next after the Military Victory and the Return of Foreign Fighters?
title_sort following a military defeat of isis in syria and iraq what happens next after the military victory and the return of foreign fighters
topic ISIS, Syria, Iraq, Caliphate, Counterterrorism, Foreign Fighters
url http://jtr.st-andrews.ac.uk/articles/1341
work_keys_str_mv AT annespeckhard followingamilitarydefeatofisisinsyriaandiraqwhathappensnextafterthemilitaryvictoryandthereturnofforeignfighters
AT ardianshajkovci followingamilitarydefeatofisisinsyriaandiraqwhathappensnextafterthemilitaryvictoryandthereturnofforeignfighters
AT ahmetsyayla followingamilitarydefeatofisisinsyriaandiraqwhathappensnextafterthemilitaryvictoryandthereturnofforeignfighters