The battle against the Islamic State (IS) terror militia saw dramatic developments in recent days, with Iraqi national army forces yielding control of the city of Ramadi in Iraq and jihadist forces gaining even more ground at the expense of the Assad regime in Syria. IS reportedly consolidated its position in Ramadi on Wednesday despite withering attacks from US-led aircraft and an imminent counter-offensive by Iranian-led Shi’ite militias. Tens of thousands of residents of the city have fled, adding to Iraq’s already massive internal refugee crisis, as analysts warned that if IS retains control of Ramadi it would endanger the stability of all of Iraq and by extension the entire region. Meanwhile, jihadist groups completed their capture of the last military base and several villages in Northwestern Syria’s idlib province on Tuesday, dealing a devastating blow to the Assad regime. Read More
