At its peak three years ago, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency estimated ISIL had as many as 31,000 fighters operating in Iraq and Syria.
Today, that number is said to be less than 1,000.
Military operations liberated key urban strongholds in 2017 including Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria.
Despite the military defeat, ISIL continues to claim terror attacks throughout the world, leaving many wondering what will happen next.
To discuss all of this:
- Ahmed Rushdi, a Foreign Policy advisor with the Speaker’s office of the Iraqi Parliament
- Hashem Osseiran, the deputy managing editor of the news organization Syria Deeply
- Richard Barrett, a former British Diplomat and intelligence officer and the Director of the Global Strategy Network
- Peter Vincent, a counter-terrorism expert and a former U.S. Department of Homeland Security official
For more:
6 months after ISIL, life is returning to normal in Mosul, Iraq where @UNMAS is working to ensure people's safety in the face of hidden bomb threats https://t.co/VhJFq42WzN pic.twitter.com/WfhbQ3c8ll
— United Nations in Brussels (@UNinBrussels) January 3, 2018
The old town of #Mosul still bleeding from wounds of war, nearly 6 months after #IslamicState group was forced out https://t.co/AMt0Yq63yn
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) January 3, 2018
Syrian gov't allocates 138 mln USD for reconstruction projects in #Aleppo https://t.co/UK3o8bdtEQ pic.twitter.com/t0Vmwnjpdg
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) January 6, 2018