Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (2013–2014) Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

on 8 april 2013, al-baghdadi released audio statement in announced al-nusra front had been established, financed, , supported isi, , 2 groups merging under name islamic state of iraq , al-sham (isil, al-sham translates levant). however, abu mohammad al-julani , ayman al-zawahiri, leaders of al-nusra , al-qaeda respectively, rejected merger. al-julani issued statement denying merger, , complaining neither nor else in al-nusra s leadership had been consulted it. in june 2013, al jazeera reported had obtained letter written al-qaeda s leader ayman al-zawahiri, addressed both leaders, in ruled against merger, , appointed emissary oversee relations between them put end tensions. same month, al-baghdadi released audio message rejecting al-zawahiri s ruling , declaring merger going ahead.

meanwhile, isil campaign free imprisoned members culminated in simultaneous raids on taji , abu ghraib prisons in july 2013, freeing more 500 prisoners, many of them veterans of iraqi insurgency. in october 2013, al-zawahiri ordered disbanding of isil, putting al-nusra front in charge of jihadist efforts in syria, al-baghdadi rejected al-zawahiri s order, , group continued operate in syria. in february 2014, after eight-month power struggle, al-qaeda publicly disavowed relations isil.

according journalist sarah birke, there significant differences between al-nusra front , isil. while al-nusra actively calls overthrow of assad government, isil tends more focused on establishing own rule on conquered territory . isil far more ruthless in building islamic state, carrying out sectarian attacks , imposing sharia law . while al-nusra has large contingent of foreign fighters , seen home-grown group many syrians; contrast, isil fighters have been described foreign occupiers many syrian refugees. foreign fighters in syria include russian-speaking jihadists part of jaish al-muhajireen wal-ansar (jma). in november 2013, abu omar al-shishani, leader of jaish al-muhajireen wal-ansar (jma), swore oath of allegiance al-baghdadi; group split between followed al-shishani in joining isil , continued operate independently in jma under new leadership.

in january 2014, rebels affiliated islamic front , us-trained free syrian army launched offensive against isil militants in , around city of aleppo, following months of tensions on isil s behavior, included seizure of property , weapons rebel groups, , arrests , killings of activists. months of clashes ensued, causing thousands of casualties, isil withdrawing forces idlib , latakia provinces , redeploying them reinforce strongholds in raqqa , aleppo. launched offensive against other opposition forces active in eastern province of deir ez-zor, on border iraq. june 2014, isil had largely defeated rivals in province, many had not been killed or driven away pledging allegiance it.

in iraq, isil able capture of fallujah in january 2014, , in june 2014 able seize control of mosul.

after eight-month power struggle, al-qaeda cut ties isil february 2014, citing failure consult , notorious intransigence .

in 2014, isil drove iraqi government forces out of key cities in anbar campaign, followed capture of mosul , sinjar massacre. loss of control caused collapse of iraqi government , prompted renewal of military action in iraq. in syria, isil has conducted ground attacks on both syrian arab army , rebel factions.