The Iraqi military has launched a "search and clear" operation targeting "Islamic State" pockets near the Iranian border. Iraqi forces have also attacked the "White Banners," an emerging militant group in the area.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/A. Garip
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The Iraqi Armed Forces on Wednesday announced a major operation aimed at uprooting the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group from the country's northeastern desert region near the border with Iran.
"With the goal of enforcing security and stability, destroying sleeper cells and continuing clearing operations, an operation was launched in the early hours of this morning to search and clear areas east of Tuz Khurmato," the Iraqi military said in a statement.
The operation, backed by aerial support from the US-led coalition against IS, will be carried out by a coalition made up of the Iraqi army, elite government forces, the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga, according to Iraqi authorities.
Iraqi authorities said their latest operation also targeted an emerging militant group calling itself the "White Banners." In December, Baghdad acknowledged the group's existence following raids and alleged kidnappings in the Tuz Khurmato area.
However, there are conflicting reports as to who forms the White Banners. The Saudi-owned al-Arabiya news channel has described the group as an IS offshoot, citing Iraqi officials.
Hisham al-Hashimi, a Baghdad-based security analyst, said the group is formed by Kurds displaced by Iraqi government forces during an offensive to reclaim territory in Kurdish-held Kirkuk in the wake of a controversial independence referendum, according to the Reuters news agency.
Iraqi forces, backed by the Popular Mobilization Forces supported by Iran, took control of the oil-rich Kirkuk province in October, displacing Kurds in the strategic areaImage: Getty Images/AFP/A. Al-Rubaye
'Evolving threat'
An expert report for the UN Security Council circulated Tuesday said IS continues to pose a "significant and evolving threat around the world" despite losing most of its territories in Iraq and Syria.
IS "has lost its focus on conquering and holding territory" and now gives "prominence to external attacks," the report said. "In the future, it will focus primarily on a smaller and more motivated group of individuals willing to fight or conduct attacks."
The militant group rose to notoriety in 2014, when it captured large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, culminating in the sacking and occupation of Mosul. However, IS has lost most of the territories it gained that year, including Mosul, where it had declared a so-called caliphate.
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
