War against ISIS
Campaigns in Iraq and Syria that dismantled ISIS territorial control after its rapid expansion in 2014.
Historical overview
Overview adapted from a Wikipedia summary and stored locally on May 11, 2026.
Many states began to intervene against the Islamic State (IS), in both the Syrian civil war and the War in Iraq (2013–2017), in response to its rapid territorial gains from its 2014 invasion of Iraq, widely condemned executions, human rights abuses and the fear of further spillovers of the Syrian civil war. In later years, there were also minor interventions by some states against IS-affiliated groups in Nigeria and Libya. All these efforts significantly degraded the Islamic State's capabilities by around 2019–2020. While moderate fighting continues in Syria, as of 2026, IS has been contained to a small area and force capability.
Theater countries
Actors
Tags
Border context
ISIS wars and renewed interstate pressure
The ISIS territorial project, Yemen's war and Russia's first phase of war against Ukraine reshape conflict geography.
ISIS loses territorial control by 2019. Crimea, Donbas, Yemen and the Sahel remain decisive zones.