ISW Impact Highlights
November 17, 2016 - ISW PressIn 2016, ISW’s small team analyzed and forecasted the exponentially growing across var
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Publications
The Campaign for Mosul: November 8-15, 2016
November 15, 2016 - Emily Anagnostos
As the fight between the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and ISIS in and around Mosul compresses, the high stakes of the operation and close-contact warfare are increasingly placing Mosul’s civilian population in the crossfire.
Syria Situation Report: November 3 - 11, 2016
November 10, 2016 - Chris Kozak
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched ‘Operation Euphrates Wrath’ on November 6 with a stated goal to isolate the IS stronghold of A-Raqqa City. The announcement comes after the U.S. and Turkey reached an initial agreement on November 5 to allow the Syrian Kurdish YPG to participate in the isolation phase of the offensive. In exchange, Sunni Arabs will lead the final effort to “seize, hold, and govern” A-Raqqa City.
ISIS’s Global Attack Network: November 13, 2015 – November 9, 2016
November 9, 2016 - Melissa Pavlik
ISIS has organized a number of external attacks worldwide in the past year, some of which have been thwarted.
Iraq Situation Report: November 2-8, 2016
November 8, 2016 - Emily Anagnostos
ISIS is attacking various locations and forces in Iraq in order to find and exploit a seam that can unravel the anti-ISIS Coalition.
The Campaign for Mosul: November 4-7, 2016
November 7, 2016 - Emily Anagnostos
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) moved deeper into Mosul’s eastern neighborhoods as the ISF and Peshmerga made significant gains on Mosul’s eastern and southern axes in an effort to encircle the city.
Syria Situation Report: October 27 - November 4, 2016
November 4, 2016 - Chris Kozak
The Jaysh al-Fatah Operations Room - a coalition led by Jabhat Fatah a-Sham and Ahrar a-Sham - and the Fatah Halab Operations Room launched a new offensive to break the siege of Eastern Aleppo City on October 28. Meanwhile, Russia began a new ten-hour ‘humanitarian pause’ on November 4 in order to allow civilians and opposition fighters to evacuate the besieged districts of Eastern Aleppo City.
Warning Update: Russia Prepares to Escalate Military Intervention in Syria
November 4, 2016 - Genevieve Casagrande
Key Takeaway: Russia is preparing to escalate its military operations in Syria in order to tout its standing as a great power, reinforce its claims to be a credible partner against violent extremism, and reinvigorate domestic support for its continued participation in the Syrian Civil War. Russia has set conditions for a major demonstration of its military might following the completion of the latest in a long series of ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Aleppo City set to end on November 4.
The Campaign for Mosul: November 1-3, 2016
November 3, 2016 - Emily Anagnostos
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) began advancing into Mosul’s eastern and southeastern neighborhoods on November 1-3, marking the first time the ISF has had any presence in the city since ISIS captured it in mid-2014.
The Campaign for Mosul: October 29-31, 2016
October 31, 2016 - Emily Anagnostos
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) reached Mosul’s eastern city limits on October 31 to begin the initial push into the city. Meanwhile, Iraqi Shi’a militias, including Iranian proxies and U.S.-designated terrorist groups, opened up a western axis on October 29 with the intention to retake Tel Afar, west of Mosul.