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On November 14, Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) which include Iraqi Shi’a militias were able to achieve significant advances against the Islamic State of Iraq al-Sham (ISIS) in the strategic town of Baiji in Salah ad-Din province in northern Iraq. Baiji has been under the control of ISIS since June of this year and is also home to Iraq’s biggest oil refinery, the Baiji Refinery which has endured a five-month long ISIS siege.

ISW has updated its ISIS Sanctuary map! This map, covering both Iraq and Syria, shows the extent of ISIS zones of control, attack, and support throughout both countries.

Iraqi Security Forces, Iraqi Shi’a militias, Kurdish forces, and Iraqi Sunni anti-ISIS tribes are applying pressure on ISIS across multiple fronts.

JN and the FSA-affiliated Southern Front continue to make significant gains in Dera’a Province, seizing several military installations north of Sheikh Miskin and threatening to sever the regime supply line to Dera’a city.

Although Baiji district is not fully cleared by the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Iraqi Shi’a militias, it is clear that ISIS has lost a significant part of the area and has decided not to reinforce it from Hawija, an ISIS stronghold located north of Baiji.

The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have made significant advances against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) in the strategic town of Baiji in northern Iraq’s Salah ad-Din Province.

ISIS escalated attacks against the Iraqi Sunni tribes in Alam sub-district, east of Tikrit and against tribes in Zowiya village, northern Salah ad-Din.

The U.S. conducted a second round of strikes against "Khorasan Group" targets in Northwestern Idlib province, reportedly killing a number of JN and Ahrar al-Sham fighters that appeared to have been collocated with the "Khorasan" targets.

The weekend reports of the killing or wounding of the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, have not yet been confirmed.

The significant event of the weekend is the reported targeting of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), by U.S. airstrikes.