Militants turn toward the Catholic Church in new propaganda
In a recent turn of events part way through October, the terrorist group ISIS has targeted the Roman Catholic Church, threatening to “conquer Rome” and “break the crosses.” The warning appeared in the terrorist group’s latest publication of their regular magazine. The article claims they will kill every “crusader,” and features a photograph of the black ISIS flag superimposed atop St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. The threat is meant as an attack on Christianity and Europe, furthering ISIS attempts to create a worldwide Islamic State.
Meanwhile, the organization continues to advance on the Syrian city of Kobane, directly situated on the Syria-Turkey border. Some experts claim that Turkey is a key location for ISIS, as it would position the terrorist group one step away from the European Union, via Greece. However, military researcher Justin Bronk recently claimed Kobane to be a potential failure for ISIS, as US and Alliance airstrikes have been causing ISIS militants to retreat from the city. Furthermore, Kurdish ground troops have been making strategic advances in the area, engaging in street combat against the terrorist group.
Despite the success of this mission, ISIS still poses an impending threat, as they currently lay claim to a large portion of Northern Syria and almost half of Iraq. It is estimated that the group holds territory the size of Jordan, much of which sits along the border between Syria and Turkey, and other large pieces sit in the area closing in on Baghdad. General Tom Lawson, Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff, says airstrikes from the US and its allies will not be enough to put an end to ISIS presence in the Middle East. The Canadian government has recently authorized the allocation of six bombers, a refueller, two surveillance planes and about 600 ground troops and personnel to the Middle East. General Lawson, however, believes training and arming Iraqi soldiers is the best option in combatting ISIS. The US has announced plans in this vein of thought, but Canada has yet to announce if they will be aiding in the training of those ground soldiers.
Nearing the end of 2014, ISIS – or the conflict resulting from their presence – has killed over 5,000 Iraqi civilians, while more than 1.2 million people have been driven from their homes. Kobane continues to be the terrorist group’s main focus, but ISIS has also announced Canada, Australia, Israel, most of Europe, and the US as main targets, along with goals for surrounding Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iran, and Jordan. Given their huge advances throughout the Middle East, the actions of ISIS in the coming weeks remain uncertain, should they seize the crucial key city of Kobane.