Islamic State in Syria and Iraq

Fighters from the extremist military group the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq & al-Sham (ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq & the Levant (ISIL), captured a Syrian military base in the city of Raqqa on July 25. The group later released images that appeared to show captured Syrian soldiers being killed. 

Controlling much of northern Syria and large areas of Iraq, on June 10 IS took the city of Mosul in northern Iraq. In July, IS militants told Christian citizens of Mosul they must convert to Islam, pay a tax or be executed. It is estimated that 35,000 Christians fled the city after the declaration.

IS also captured Yazidi towns in northern Iraq. The Yazidi, a non-Muslim religious sect, were also given the choice to convert or be executed, after which IS reportedly executed 80 men and abducted women and children.

On Aug. 7 IS captured the Mosul dam, a major source of water and energy in Iraq. Kurdish fighters retook the dam on Aug. 18 with the help of a US military air strike. In Syria on Aug. 24, IS took over Tabqa air base, the last government-held area in Raqqa Province.