The Islamic State (ISIS) has lost a quarter of its territory in Iraq and Syria in the past 18 months, according to a report published Sunday.
Research group IHS said the militant extremist group’s self-proclaimed caliphate shrank by 14% in 2015 and a further 12% in the past six months, reports Agence France-Presse.
As the jihadists continue to lose ground, IHS warns that they will likely increase “mass casualty” attacks on civilians.
The group, which emerged in 2014, has recently suffered a series of defeats in Iraq and Syria. In June, the Iraq military recaptured the city of Fallujah, and in March, Syrian government forces backed by Russian airstrikes regained control of the ancient city of Palmyra.
[AFP]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Who Will Be TIME's Person of the Year 2023?
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- The Dirty Secrets of Alternative Plastics
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time