We have a multi-generational challenge on our hands - not just when you look back on the history of extremism in this region over the past 30 years, but also looking forward at how the next 10 to 20 years might unfold.Īs General Kenneth McKenzie, former commander of the U.S. Others think there are more important priorities, like Russia’s war in Ukraine or great power competition.īut ISIS is the problem of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Some see what remains of the ISIS conflict as a security issue that the Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) can handle. There are many people that currently treat ISIS as if is it’s yesterday’s problem.

This piece will focus on displaced persons, not ISIS members and detainees. The human legacies of the ISIS conflict range from people who have no affiliation from the perspective of the authorities and the community (important distinctions) to others having perceived affiliation, whether they are an individual or an entire family or even tribe or sect, to others with actual affiliation, who are families of actual ISIS members. Unpacking the Human Legacies of ISIS Conflict One of the thorniest problems ISIS has left behind is the thousands of displaced persons affiliated or perceived to be affiliated with ISIS, who are languishing in camps or outside their areas of origin in Iraq and Syria. While the number of people still affected by the conflict undoubtedly reaches into the millions, the nuances of each group are important when it comes to understanding their status and formulating a response to address their problems and the lessons learned to inform future action. 2, 2019 after they had fled areas held by the Islamic State in eastern Syria.

A convoy of trucks carrying people to detention camps on Nov. Meanwhile, some of the most difficult human legacies - the challenges facing the people the ISIS conflict left behind - are still with us, with no end in sight. While the extremist group’s capacity has been drastically reduced and millions of people have returned home, ISIS has managed to continue attacks year after year despite no longer holding territory. More than three years after its military defeat in Iraq and Syria, ISIS is a downgraded threat thanks to the collective efforts of the U.S.-led global coalition that coalesced to defeat it along with Iraqi and Syrian partners.

Another tomorrow cant be like today