Coalition and military sources in both Iraq and Syria indicate that ISIS is on the last straw as the allied forces conduct their last offensives against the terror organizations in both countries. Security forces in Iraq and Syria are said to have surrounded the remaining pockets held by ISIS and despite the terrorists mounting a resilient defense marked by booby traps, landmines and abductions of civilians to stall the final offense, the troops are gradually and steadily gaining ground on the jihadist and intelligence reports saying that the Daesh will have been defeated by the end of the year.
However, as much as ISIS central has been cornered there is reported incidences and upsurges of the various caliphates and affiliates across the globe with evidence of what seem as a highly connected network of small insurgencies.
Insurgencies evidence;
- ISIS appeared to have stepped up their use of tanks and other high-power weapons against Syrian forces in various parts of the country that have seemingly been liberated from the extremists.
- IS militants say they used 2 guided anti-tank missiles to destroy a Syrian Ba’th regime tank and a bulldozer in Safa, Badiyya Suwayda.
- IS used a guided anti-tank missile to destroy a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia bulldozer in Susa near the Iraqi border.
- A guided anti-tank missile made a recent appearance as IS militants fired one at a Syrian Kurdish vehicle in the Hajin area of Dayr al-Zur.
- ISIS has been regaining control of areas that have been liberated by the troops especially in Syria where there lacks adequate provincial governance to sustain the gains achieved by allied troops and airstrikes.
- IS claims to have regained control of Susa and nearby areas, after continuous heavy fighting with U.S.-backed Syrian militias.
- ISIS has released the execution footages of three soldiers after being captured in a major ambush near the south of al-Qa’im.
- ISIS/Khurasan officially claims istishhadi attack against HQ Parliamentary Electoral Commission in Kabul. Several dead and injured
- In Libya, Local sources confirm ISIS large attack against Fuqaha town in al-Jufra area causing several dead and wounded, including the son of the mayor of the Fuqaha, and kidnapping a number of police officers.
- In Libya, Local sources confirm ISIS large attack against Fuqaha town in al-Jufra area causing several dead and wounded, including the son of the mayor of the Fuqaha, and kidnapping a number of police officers.
- In Egypt sources indicate that ISIS is increasingly plotting against forces and troops in the Sinai Peninsula a move that has been credited with a major exodus of ISIS fighters from Middle East to North Africa.
- In the Philippines, there is a surge in activities and attacks and a growing threat by ISIS feared to spread through the South East Asia purported a major ISIS affiliated referred to as the Maute Group also known as the Islamic State of Lanao.
- ISIS in Somalia dubbed Abnaa ul-Calipha has been stepping up its activities in the northern part of the countries as well as strategic assassination within the capital, Mogadishu a move that has been viewed as the groups way of offering refuge to fleeing fighters and new foreign fighters in Somalia that has been predominately threatened by al Qaeda affiliate al Shabaab.
Aforementioned, are examples of enclaves that have shown evidence of an increased presence of ISIS in different parts of the world despite the imminent defeat and fall of ISIS central in Iraq and Syria. It is crucial to note that while allied troops in the Middle East pride themselves in defeating and driving ISIS from most of its strongholds the group has created a global network small enclaves that aimed to furthering the extremists core agenda across the globe.
Thus, it is necessary for nations to erect measures that not only defeat ISIS central in Iraq and Syria but also strategic measures that will decapitate the enclaves in different parts of the world and prevent them from morphing into major global threats. Security partners ought to come up with holistic plans and strategies that dismantle technological advancement and frameworks that enable or have loopholes that can be exploited to create a virtual terror network.
