ISIS’s continued ability to maintain support zones in Syria means that it remains a risk to Iraq’s hard-won stability, especially due to Iraq’s inability to successfully destroy ISIS support zones in rural areas. [2] ISIS attacks increased by at least a third in the Syrian desert between the first quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023. These operations have been successful—during Ramadan 2022, the Iraqi Security Forces disrupted ISIS’s ability to mount a major urban attack—and the Iraqi Security Forces are eager to improve their capabilities. [29] Security forces were not active in these areas in the fourth quarter of 2022 or in 2023. The Malian army and Wagner may have had some success degrading JNIM support zones between the Bandiagara and Bankass districts since January 2023.

Source: The Guardian April 28, 2023 20:31 UTC