The Atlantic

Is ISIS More Violent During Ramadan?

The group has called for increased attacks during the Islamic holy month.
Source: Neil Hall / Reuters

As Muslims observe Eid al-Fitr, the three-day festival marking the end of Ramadan, they celebrate the completion of a monthlong period of fasting, self-reflection, and spiritual renewal. It also marks the end of a holy month marred by several tragedies, from the attack in London that killed eight people to the blast that killed 17 people at an ice cream shop in Baghdad.

Such violence during Ramadan is not new. Previous Ramadans have witnessed a stunning rise in attacks relative to other months in recent attributed to ISIS outside of Iraq and Syria was recorded.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic7 min readAmerican Government
Could South Carolina Change Everything?
For more than four decades, South Carolina has been the decisive contest in the Republican presidential primaries—the state most likely to anoint the GOP’s eventual nominee. On Saturday, South Carolina seems poised to play that role again. Since the
The Atlantic4 min read
Hayao Miyazaki’s Anti-war Fantasia
Once, in a windowless conference room, I got into an argument with a minor Japanese-government official about Hayao Miyazaki. This was in 2017, three years after the director had announced his latest retirement from filmmaking. His final project was
The Atlantic5 min readAmerican Government
What Nikki Haley Is Trying to Prove
This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Nikki Haley faces terrible odds in her home state of

Related Books & Audiobooks