Islamic State & Predecessor Groups

This is the gateway to resources, research, and analysis the Combating Terrorism Center has produced over the last decade about the Islamic State, also referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) and Da`ish, and its predecessor groups (al-Tawhid wa-al-Jihad, al-Qa`ida in Mesopotamia (AQI), Majlis Shura al-Mujahidin, Hilf al-Muttayibin and the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI)).

Additional CTC research and analysis about factors shaping the conflict in Iraq and Syria is also included. These resources contextualize the development of the Islamic State. Resources are organized into five categories: major reports, CTC Sentinel articles, CTC Perspectives, CTC commentary about the early development of AQI, and declassified primary sources produced by AQI, ISI, and other militant groups in Iraq.

June 28, 2021

A View from the CT Foxhole: Idriss Mounir Lallali, Deputy Director, African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT)

Jason Warner

April 27, 2021

Islamic State & Predecessor Groups

Major Reports

Structure of a State: Captured Documents and the Islamic State’s Organizational Structure

The Cloud Caliphate: Archiving the Islamic State in Real-Time

Rising in the East: The Evolution of the Islamic State in the Philippines

The Terrorist Lists: An Examination of the U.S. Government’s Counterterrorism Designations Efforts

Sentinel Articles

A View from the CT Foxhole: Idriss Mounir Lallali, Deputy Director, African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT)

The March 2021 Palma Attack and the Evolving Jihadi Terror Threat to Mozambique

The April 2020 Islamic State Terror Plot Against U.S. and NATO Military Bases in Germany: The Tajik Connection

Terrorism and Counterterrorism Challenges for the Biden Administration

Perspectives

Burying the Lede: The Islamic State Downsizes?

An Idea or a Threat? Islamic State Jammu & Kashmir

The Islamic State’s Internal Rifts and Social Media Ban

The Islamic State’s Drone Documents: Management, Acquisitions, and DIY Tradecraft

Primary Sources

Islamic State memo for dealing with new recruits

Islamic State military organizational chart, undated

List of Geographic Identifiers for IS Identification Numbers

Al-Mawla TIR – July 2, 2008

Media Coverage

New report by CTC examines propaganda output by Islamic State

New CTC Perspectives examines changes to Islamic State’s structure

CTC Director of Research published in Conflict Management journal

CTC Director and Senior Fellow quoted in Cipher Brief article

Other Commentary

CTC releases third ‘Beyond the Caliphate’ report

American national security policy needs to get ready for ISIS 2.0

CTC publishes analysis on Islamic State ban on social media

CTC releases second Beyond the Caliphate report

Briefings, Events, & Visits

LTG Michael Nagata visits CTC

GEN Nicholson visits CTC

CTC briefs the Command and General Staff College

USSOCOM Commander GEN Thomas visits CTC

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