The war against the self-proclaimed caliphate “Islamic State” has been dragging on for over two years and four months since it officially began on the 13th of June 2014. The war has and still is being fought out over two continents, in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Nigeria, Afghanistan and also Southeast Asia. A coalition of western countries and countries in the region is intervening, mainly with air strikes, but is also funding and arming local ground forces to fight against the IS. The ongoing war and countless brutal executions by the “Islamic State” has led to millions of locals fleeing their home countries, sparking the so-called “refugee crisis” in Europe. The war is becoming more and more complex, with an ever increasing number of participants with partly very different interests in the region. So who exactly is fighting whom, where and how?
The “Islamic State”, “officially” known as the “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant”, cooperates with the well-known terrorist group “Boko Haram”, which operates in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon and is especially well known for the kidnapping of children and women. Further, they work together with Wilayat Sinai (on the Sinai peninsula of Egypt), Wilayat Barqa (in Libya) and Wilayat Khorasan (in Afghanistan and Pakistan). Abu Sayyaf is used by the IS’ as a way to reach out to Southeast Asia.
To a certain extent, the Islamic State is also allied to Al-Quaeda, which it used to be a part of; however the cooperation has significantly decreased since the IS declared itself independent from the terrorist organisation.
The first foreign country to intervene in against the IS was Iran, which (according to American and British information) used drones and ground troops to fight ISIL in Iraq. Shortly after that, the UK and the US started flying planes into the region themselves, and the United States moved a relatively small number of ground troops in Iraq to intervene.
On the 5th of September in 2014, the United States’ urged a group of NATO countries to join the fight against ISIS, which led to France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Denmark and Italy to actively join the fight in the middle east.
France followed the US’ example and formed their own coalition against ISIL on the 15th of September, which included the US coalition’s countries except for Australia, but also Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia and Spain.
Towards the end of September, Russia formed a third coalition, operating mainly in Syria and supporting the regime of Assad in the country. The coalition consists of Russia, Iraq, Iran and Syria, but the military actions are also being done in coordination with Israel and Jordan.
The US called together another meeting on the 3rd of December of the same year, where the “Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)” was formed, which included the countries fighting in the Middle East with the US coalition, the French coalition (excluding China and Russia), and 33 more countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Portugal, South Korea, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Sweden, Taiwan and Ukraine. Together, they agreed on a strategy to combat the Islamic State, which was founded around the core ideas of exposing the IS’ true nature, cutting off funding and supply, and supporting military actions taken against the terrorist group.
Over a year later, on the 14th of December 2015, another coalition was formed in Saudi Arabia, which consists of Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, Togo, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
However, not all the countries that are members of some sort of coalition against ISIS are taking part in active combat missions.
Under the US’ leadership, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Jordan, Morocco and the UK are involved in combat in against ISIL. Iran is fighting by itself as well as in cooperation with the Russian-led coalition, while Russia, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and UAE are limiting themselves to only intervening in Syria.
The situation in the Middle East is very complex and it is impossible to explain in an article like this. With various different countries with parly starkly contrasting interests participating in the war against ISIS and lack of coordination between them and their alliances, as well as these countries also supporting other groups like local rebels that seem favorable to the west or in Russia’s case the support of the Assad regime, this situation is highly dangerous and may well lead to further confrontation on a global scale.
And lastly, the humanitarian impact of the war that keeps dragging on in the region mustn’t be forgotten – over 10,000,000 people have been displaced in Iraq and Syria, tens of thousands have been killed by the IS, but also by the air strikes of the numerous coalitions. It should be all the involved party’s prime goal to set an end to this conflict as soon as possible.
The exact numbers
Throughout Iraq and Kuwait, the US has a total of 7,100 soldiers, or almost twice as many if you count US contractors. 500 of the US’ soldiers in Iraq are there to assist training Iraq’s own defence forces. Further, the US has moved its aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) to the region, equipped with the Carrier Strike Group Twelve. The US air force uses a great variety of different planes in the region, which include fighter aircraft (F-15, F-16, F/A-18, and F-22 are in operation there), ground attack aircraft (Harrier II and A-10), light attack and observation aircraft (Bronco), strategic bombers (B-1 and B-52), gunships (AC-130), electronic warfare (Prowler and EA-18G Growler), transport (C-130), reconnaissance (U-2, E-8 and RC-135), tankers (KC-135 and KC-10), attack helicopters (AH-64 Apache) unmanned ground attack (Predator and Reaper) and unmanned surveillance aircraft (global hawk and sentinel).
Australia, a part of the US-led coalition, moved a total of 900 personnel (of which 300+ are soldiers), plus 100 soldiers from New Zealand to the region. Further they deployed 6 F/A-18, a 737-AEW&C, a KC-30A, C-130J and C-17A to take part in the operation against ISIS.
Bahrain took part in combat operations using two F-16s.
Belgium moved 155 military personnel to the region and temporarily also had fighters deployed. These are not in the region anymore however.
Canada has 3 multi-role helicopters (CH-146), 2 surveillance aircraft (CP-140), 1 tanker (CC-150T), 1 tactical airlifter (CC-130J Hercules), 1 strategic airlifter (CC-177 Globemaster), and 1,030 men on the ground involved in the war.
Denmark deployed 7 fighters (F-16), 1 transport aircraft (C-130), 400 troops and one mobile radar station.
France, as a major player in the war, had deployed its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean. It is equipped with 12 fighters (Rafale), 9 strike aircraft (super etendard), 2 AEW&C aircraft (E-2C Hawkeye), but it was withdrawn later. Now, they operate 6 Rafale fighters from out of the UAE and 6 Mirage 2000 fighters out of Jordan. Further, and Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft, an E-3 Sentry AEW&C as well as a KC-135 stratotanker are being used in the operations.
Germany moved 1200 troops, 6 Panavia Tornado ground attack / electronic warfare aircraft, 1 A310 MRTT refueling aircraft and a Frigate to the region.
Italy, a country that is now again increasingly the landing spot for refugees crossing the Mediterranean in dangerously small and overcrowded boats, has deployed 8 helicopters (4 NH 90 and 4 A 129), 4 Panavia Tornadoes, one KC-767 refueling aircraft, 2 Predator drones as well as 1,200 soldiers plus a 130-people search-and-rescue team to the war zone.
Jordan is participating in the military operations with more than 20 F-16 Falcons.
Morocco has deployed an unknown number of troops to the UAE and has also taken part in operations with 6 F-16s, as well as sharing intelligence information.
NATO is using its E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft over the middle East.
The Netherlands have a total of 380 ground personnel in the war region, of which 250 are support troops. Further, they use 6 F-16s and have two in reserve, as well as two missile batteries. The Netherlands also deployed 200 troops to the Turkish border to defend the NATO country.
Portugal deployed 30 men to train the Iraqi forces.
Qatar has 2 Mirage 2000s in action against ISIS.
Qatar is using 4 F-15s as well as its Eurofighter Typhoons for the operations.
Spain has 300 troops training Iraqi forces, and is planning to move a missile battery and further 130 troops to the border in Turkey to protect their NATO ally.
Some of Turkey’s F-16s have participated in bombing attacks, and the country also trains special forces.
The UAE is using 4 of its F-16s.
The UK has deployed a total of 375 military trainers to train the Iraqi armed forces as well as some rebel groups in Syria, and has also used the UK special forces in the war against ISIL. Further, the UK is using 10 unmanned “Reaper” aircraft, 10 “Tornado” strike aircraft, 6 “Eurofighter Typhoon” fighters, 2 “Raytheon Sentinel” ISTAR aircraft, 2 “E-3 Sentry” AEW&C aircraft, 2 “Voyager” tankers, 1 “RC-135 Rivet Joint” and 1 “Shadow R1” reconnaissance aircraft, and several more transport aeroplanes and helicopters for humanitarian efforts. In the water, the UK moved a type 45 destroyer and a Trafalgar class submarine to the region.
Russia, leading its own coalition against ISIS and controversially backing president Assad’s regime in Syria, has deployed a large number of forces to the region. On the ground, Russia moved 4,000 personnel, 3 SA-22 SAM batteries and other anti-aircraft equipment to Syria. In the water Russia has 3 Corvettes, 1 Frigate, 1 Intelligence ship, 1 Kilo-class submarine and one cruiser and the most recent reports show that they are now moving their only aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean as well. Russia has a large number of its air force’s aircraft in Syria as well. 25 strategic bombers (Tu-22, Tu-95 and Tu-160), 18 tactical bombers (Su-24, Su-34), 12 attack bombers (Su-25), 4 fighters (Su-30), 12 attack helicopters (Mi-24), 4 utility helicopters (Mi-8) as well as Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft were deployed to Syria.
Iran, working together with Russia but also independently fighting in Iraq, has up to 39,000 troops on the ground involved in combat against ISIS. Further, 7 Su-25 ground attack aircraft, F-4s and several drones are being used by the Iranian armed forces, in part in direct cooperation with Iraq.
Egypt has joined the fight against ISIS using 6 of its F-16 fighters.
In Nigeria, 130,000 troops and 371,000 police officers are working on fighting against the “Islamic State”, which Cameroon has an army of 20,000 to rely on and the AU (African Union) has deployed 8,700 to assist the countries.
