Counter-Terrorism: That Is Just How ISIL Rolls

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August 9, 2016: On July 13 ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) released data on its accomplishments during Ramadan (June 6 to July 5th). This is the annual period when observant Moslems fast and pray a lot. The Islamic calendar is lunar, meaning it follows the phases of the moon and thus these dates move each year. Most Islamic terror try to carry out more attacks during Ramadan which is typical of Islamic terrorist organizations. Attacks concentrate against what each group considers “enemies of Islam”. ISIL has a longer list than most and in 2016 claimed to have carried out or “inspired”143 attacks in 29 countries that killed over 5,000 people. About half the ISIL victims this year were Shia Moslems, six percent were Christians and the rest were mainly Kurds and other Sunni Moslems. Most Kurds are Sunni Moslems, as is ISIL, but the Kurds hate ISIL and have been one of the most effective Moslem groups in fighting ISIL. That makes the Kurds “enemies of Islam.” Kurds also anger ISIL by tolerating conversion from Islam to other religions. Most Sunni Moslems are opposed to ISIL but Sunnis are also the main source of recruits and cash donations for ISIL so some discretion is used. Nevertheless over 90 percent of ISIL’s victims during Ramadan were Moslems. Many of those attacks were not really connected with ISIL, but that’s just how ISIL rolls.

 

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