Reports about the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria have been quieter lately, but the extremist group is continuing to expand its territory in both Iraq and Syria. The accompanying infographic shows how the militants have gradually expanded their presence.
The New York Times reports that while international sentiment about the terrorist group is extremely negative, “International cooperation to check the organization’s rise has so far proved elusive.” The Washington Post adds that the problem may lie in an “outdated U.S. policy toward Iraq, which prioritizes maintaining a strong central government in Baghdad over aiding the secular, democratic and pro-Western Kurds,” who are currently on the front lines.