Second ISIS-Iraq Conflict

Location
 Result
 Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham
Syrian Arab Republic

The **Second ISIS-Iraq Conflict** is an past armed conflict between the Islamic State and the country of Iraq, backed by a coalition opposing IS.

## Buildup

In April and May of 2023, Iraq was being jointly occupied in the northern regions by the countries of Turkey and Iran. The Islamic State saw opportunity in this significantly smaller Iraq, and began investing more resources into the region, the Sunni triangle, to be more specific. A densely populated area stretching from Tikrit, to Baghdad, and then to Ramadi. Waves of IS sympathy and support arose about west of Ramadi. IS-aligned command then followed them there and armed the sympathizers.

## War and ISIS actions

#### 2024

In February of 2024, al-Hayat Media Center, the Islamic State's media outlet, announced that the Islamic State had returned to Iraq. In the following weeks several statements from IS officials were published inciting violence against the Iraqi government along with the Turkish and Austrian governments, which were one of the first outside powers to respond.

In February of 2024, Austria deployed 16,000 volunteer "neo-crusader" forces, 21,000 of its own soldiers, 500 armored vehicles, and 186 tanks into Iraq to combat ISIS.

In June of 2024, Turkey mobilized 30,000 of its troops stationed in Iraq for combat against ISIS, and began an airstrike campaign on ISIS positions in Iraq.

#### 2025

In July of 2025, ISIS captured an Austrian commander from the "neo-crusader" branch of the Austrian army, and filmed two videos with him, the first showcased his capture and showed him in a room with ISIS fighters demanding Austria's withdrawl from Iraq and Syria, and the commander's expulsion from the army. These demands were rejected, and the second video showed the commander's beheading.

#### 2027

Across the span of May and June of 2027, the Islamic State purchased the island of Hailuoto from Finland, causing a panic in the international community. After the purchase, a religious tax was imposed on non-Muslim residents, but they were granted legal status as citizens of the Islamic State's "caliphate". ISIS and Finland came to an agreement that ISIS could have little to no military presence on the island, and could not attack any foreign European country from the island. ISIS was soon expelled from the island and withdrew their diplomats in June of 2027.

In October of 2027, the Majlis-ash-Shura (basically the government that isn't the direct leader, more so like advisors to the leader?) of ISIS began talks with its leader at the time, Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi about if he was actually worthy of his position.

In December of 2027, the Shura initiated a trial against al-Qurashi, charging him with negligence to his position. The Shura won the trial and deposed al-Qurashi, who was succeeded by Ayoub Rakawi, a previous nominee for ISIS leader after the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

In the same month, after the change in administration, the Shura passed a document known as the Ramadi Agreement, which would "better the Islamic State's image worldwide", the document outlined that ISIS fighters would no longer target civilians on the battlefield, and would treat POWs like actual human beings. Rakawi signed the document which verified its passage.

In November of 2027, ISIS launched what many considered to be a continuation of its Anbar campaign from 2013, capturing 4 Iraqi cities in the Anbar province, those being Hit, Ramadi, Fallujah, and Haditha.

#### 2028

In June of 2028, Rakawi appointed a commander-in-chief for ISIS's Syria province, saying the case that the return of the Islamic State to Syria was very likely, in the same month, ISIS militants captured the Syrian city of al-Bukamal.

In July of 2028, the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, was sieged down and fought in by a coalition of ISIS, Germany, and Georgia, the Iraqi government had the opportunity to escape, but did not take the chance, shortly after the city fell into ISIS hands.