For Immediate Release

Contact: Christopher Harmer (202) 293-5550 x205 press@understandingwar.org

ISW Publishes New Report: The Islamic State of Iraq Returns to Diyala
Last week the Institute for the Study of War released a comprehensive report on the return of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to the Iraqi province of Diyala. The security situation on the ground in Diyala appears to have reached a critical juncture. An analysis of recent security trends clearly shows that ISIS is active once more in the province, after having been driven out by U.S. forces in 2007. The presence of ISIS and the reactivation of Shi'a militias has led Diyala to witness increased population displacement. It is therefore important to estimate the costs of this displacement in order to assess how deteriorating security conditions in this province will interfere with Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections. Despite promising provincial elections in 2013, Diyala has experienced a significant amount of political turmoil that has made the province increasingly susceptible to ethno-sectarian conflict. "The Islamic State of Iraq Returns to Diyala ," by Jessica Lewis, details the extent to which ISIS has returned and provides a unique analysis of what this means to the security of the state of Iraq. As Lewis states in her report, "...violence in Diyala has historically both driven and reflected inter-ethnic and inter-sectarian violence in other mixed areas of Iraq, including Baghdad. Diyala is therefore a significant bellwether for how quickly these types of violence will spread to other provinces." With ISIS's return to Diyala, one thing is for certain: the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham is not confined to Fallujah. Read the report here.

For media inquiries, please contact Christopher Harmer at press@understandingwar.org or at (202) 293-5550 x205. ###
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