(Foreign Policy) Rhys Dubin - The Islamic State in Iraq appears on the brink of defeat as it lost its last urban strongholds. But an unreleased analysis presented at recent coalition meetings by the UN speaks to a much more fluid situation on the ground - one characterized by the real possibility of an Islamic State resurgence. According to the UN, five of the newly liberated areas urgently require stabilization. "There is a risk that if we don't stabilize these areas quickly, violent extremism might emerge again. The military gains that have been made against [the Islamic State] could be lost," said Lise Grande, head of the UN Development Program in Iraq. The areas are centered around the group's former strongholds in northern Iraq.
2018-01-16 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive