How Isis Fights: Military Tactics in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Egypt

ISIS's success in occupying over 120 cities, towns, and villages was due to its innovative military and tactical strategies, combining conventional military tactics with guerrilla warfare and urban terrorism. Omar Ashour analyzes these strategies in his book.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2021
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

ISIS, a widely hated, massively outnumbered, and ludicrously outgunned organization, managed to occupy over 120 cities, towns, and villages from the Southern Philippines to Western Libya. Seeking to understand ISIS's combat effectiveness, Omar Ashour analyzes the military and tactical innovations of ISIS and their predecessors in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Egypt. He shows how their capacity to mix conventional military tactics with innovative guerrilla warfare and urban terrorism strategies allowed ISIS to expand and endure beyond expectations.

ISIS's success in occupying these territories can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the organization's ability to recruit and train large numbers of fighters from diverse backgrounds and regions. ISIS's propaganda and social media campaigns played a significant role in attracting recruits, particularly among disaffected youth and marginalized communities. Secondly, ISIS's use of unconventional tactics, such as suicide bombings, car bombings, and ambushes, caught the enemy off guard and disrupted their defensive strategies. Thirdly, ISIS's control over territory and resources allowed them to establish a stable base of operations and generate revenue through oil sales, extortion, and other criminal activities.

However, ISIS's success also had its limitations. The organization's reliance on foreign fighters and its lack of local support in many areas made it vulnerable to counterattacks and defections. Additionally, the organization's strict interpretation of Islamic law and its harsh treatment of civilians and minorities alienated many potential supporters and contributed to its eventual downfall.

In conclusion, ISIS's ability to occupy over 120 cities, towns, and villages from the Southern Philippines to Western Libya was a result of its military and tactical innovations, its ability to recruit and train large numbers of fighters, and its control over territory and resources. However, its success also had its limitations, and the organization's eventual downfall was due to its strict interpretation of Islamic law and its harsh treatment of civilians and minorities.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474438223