Map Showing Areas ISIS Wanted To Capture By 2020

The map above shows the areas the ambitions terrorist organization ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) aspired to control by 2020.

The map labels various regions with historical names significant in Islamic history.

Here’s an overview of each area mentioned on the map and its historical connection to Islam:

1. Andalus:
   • Historically refers to the Iberian Peninsula, including modern-day Spain and Portugal.
   • It was a significant region under Muslim rule from 711 to 1492, known as Al-Andalus, renowned for its cultural and scientific achievements during the Islamic Golden Age.
2. Maghreb:
   • Refers to the northwest region of Africa, including present-day Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.
   • This region was historically significant in Islamic history as it was one of the first areas outside the Arabian Peninsula to be conquered by Muslim forces in the 7th century.
3. The Land of Habasha:
   • Refers to the region of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
   • In early Islamic history, the Christian Kingdom of Aksum in this region provided refuge to early Muslim converts facing persecution in Mecca, an event known as the First Hijrah.
4. Anatol (Anatolia):
   • Refers to the Asian part of modern-day Turkey.
   • This area was historically significant as the location of the Byzantine Empire before it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century, which then played a central role in the spread of Islam.
5. Orobpa (Europe):
   • Refers broadly to Europe.
   • Parts of Southeastern Europe, including the Balkans, were under Ottoman rule for several centuries, significantly impacting the region’s cultural and religious landscape.
6. Qoqzaz (Caucasus):
   • Refers to the Caucasus region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, including parts of Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
   • This region has a history of Islamic influence, especially in areas like Chechnya and Dagestan.
7. Khurasan:
   • A historical region covering parts of modern-day India, Iran, Pakistan Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
   • It was a significant center of Islamic learning and culture, especially during the Abbasid Caliphate.
8. Kordistan (Kurdistan):
   • Refers to a region inhabited by Kurds, spanning across modern-day Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
   • This area has a significant Kurdish Muslim population with a rich history in Islamic civilization.
9. Sham:
   • Refers to the Levant region, including modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine/Israel.
   • Historically important as the region where Damascus, a major center of the Umayyad Caliphate, is located.
10. Iraq:
    • Historically significant as the location of Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, which was a major center of Islamic learning and culture.
11. Hijaz:
    • Refers to the western region of modern-day Saudi Arabia, including the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
    • It is the birthplace of Islam and the location of the two holiest sites in Islam.
12. Yaman (Yemen):
    • Historically significant as part of early Islamic expansion and trade routes.
13. The Land of Alkinana:
    • Refers to Egypt.
    • Egypt has been a central part of Islamic history since its conquest in the 7th century and is home to Al-Azhar University, a leading center of Islamic learning.

This map reflects ISIS’s ambition to recreate a caliphate that spans these historically significant regions of the Islamic world, though their actual control was far more limited.

Timeline of ISIS’s Rise and Fall

2004-2011: Origins and Early Formation

• 2004: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi forms al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), which is the precursor to ISIS.
• 2006: AQI becomes the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) after merging with other insurgent groups. Al-Zarqawi is killed in a U.S. airstrike.
• 2010: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi becomes the leader of ISI.

2011-2013: Expansion and Rebranding

• 2011: The Syrian Civil War begins, creating a power vacuum in which ISI begins to expand its influence.
• 2013: ISI announces its expansion into Syria and rebrands as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). They capture Raqqa and declare it their capital.

2014: Peak Expansion and Declaration of Caliphate

• June 2014: ISIS captures Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, and declares a caliphate with al-Baghdadi as caliph. They rename themselves the Islamic State (IS).
• August 2014: ISIS’s atrocities against the Yazidis and other minorities draw global condemnation. The U.S. begins airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq.
• September 2014: A U.S.-led coalition launches airstrikes against ISIS in Syria.

2015-2016: Territorial Control and Global Reach

• 2015: ISIS reaches its territorial peak, controlling large swathes of Iraq and Syria, and establishes affiliate groups in Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, and other countries.
• November 2015: ISIS claims responsibility for the Paris attacks, demonstrating its ability to orchestrate global terrorism.

2017-2018: Decline and Loss of Territory

• 2017: ISIS loses key strongholds, including Mosul in July and Raqqa in October, due to coordinated efforts by the Iraqi military, Kurdish forces, and the U.S.-led coalition.
• 2018: ISIS continues to lose territory, retreating to rural and desert areas. Its ability to govern and control cities diminishes significantly.

2019: Fall of the Caliphate

• March 2019: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the last significant ISIS-held territory in Baghuz, Syria. This marks the end of ISIS’s territorial caliphate.
• October 2019: U.S. forces kill Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a raid in northwestern Syria.

2020-Present: Insurgency and Resilience

• 2020: Despite losing its territory, ISIS reverts to insurgency tactics, conducting guerrilla attacks and bombings in Iraq and Syria. The group also maintains a presence in other regions through its affiliates.
• 2021-2023: ISIS continues to launch sporadic attacks and attempts to regroup, though it remains significantly weakened compared to its peak.

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