The following is a list of conflicts involving the jihadist militant group known as the Islamic State (IS/ISIL/ISIS/Daesh), throughout its various incarnations. The group controlled portions of territory in Iraq and Syria in the mid-2010s and has taken part in many attacks, battles and wars.
Wars Since late 2013, the wars in Syria have merged into a single war that includes a spillover into Lebanon and Iraq.
War on terror War against the Islamic State United States intervention in Syria US-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021) German intervention against the Islamic State Jordanian intervention in the Syrian civil war Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war Operation Euphrates Shield Iranian intervention in Iraq (2014–present) Iraqi conflict Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013) War in Iraq (2013–2017) Iraqi insurgency (2017–present) Syrian civil war Syrian civil war spillover in Lebanon Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian civil war Turkey–Islamic State conflict Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian civil war Rojava Revolution Rojava–Islamist conflict Sinai insurgency Terrorism in Egypt (2013–present) Libyan civil war (2014–2020) Afghan conflict War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Islamic State–Taliban conflict Balkhab uprising 2026 Afghanistan-Pakistan War Civil conflict in the Philippines Moro conflict ISIL insurgency in the Philippines Insurgency in Cabo Delgado Yemeni Civil War Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen Boko Haram insurgency 2015 Niger raid Insurgency in the North Caucasus Islamic State insurgency in the North Caucasus Islamic State insurgency in Azerbaijan Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present) War in the Sahel Islamic State insurgency in Tunisia Islamist insurgency in Northern Benin Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso Islamist insurgency in Niger JNIM–ISSP conflict Somali Civil War Somali Civil War (2009–present) Islamic State Insurgency in Puntland Terrorism in Bangladesh Gaza–Israel conflict Salafi-jihadist insurgency in the Gaza Strip Kivu conflict Allied Democratic Forces insurgency Al-Qaeda–Islamic State conflict
Battles Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad Battle Allies Opponents Outcome First Battle of Fallujah Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad Islamic Army in Iraq Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order Victory 2004 Good Friday ambush Mujahideen Shura Organization of Monotheism and Jihad Mahdi Army
KBR, Inc. Victory Battle of Samarra (2004) Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad Ba'ath Party loyalistsWright, Dr. Donald P, and Reese, Colonel Timothy R. On Point II: Transition to the New Campaign: The United States Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom, May 2003-January 2005, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013 Defeat Al-Qaeda in Iraq Battle Allies Opponents Outcome Second Battle of Fallujah Al-Qaeda in Iraq Islamic Army in Iraq Ansar al-Sunnah 1920 Revolution Brigades Iraq Defeat Battle of Mosul (2004) Mockaitis, Thomas R., The Iraq War Encyclopedia , ABC-CLIO, 2013 Ansar al-Sunnahttp://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/reports/Iraq%20Report%208.pdf, p.9 Islamic Army in IraqNance, Malcolm W., The Terrorists of Iraq: Inside the Strategy and Tactics of the Iraq Insurgency 2003-2014, CRC Press, 2014 Ba'ath Party Loyalists Brigades of the Army of the Mustafa Army of the Conqueror Other Iraqi insurgents United States Iraqi Security Forces Peshmerga Defeat Lake Tharthar raid Secret Army of Islam Ba'ath Party loyalists Al-Qaeda in Iraq Other Iraqi insurgents United States Defeat Battle of Abu Ghraib Iraqi insurgents: Al Qaeda in Iraq Defeat Battle of Tal Afar (2005) Al-Qaeda in Iraq United States Iraq Defeat Battle of Baghdad (2006–2008) Sunni factions al-Qaeda in Iraq (until October 2006) Islamic State of Iraq (from October 2006)Sunni tribesOther militias Public stability: Iraqi security forces Sunni Awakening movement United States United Kingdom Other coalition forces
Shia factionsMahdi ArmySpecial Groups Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Kata'ib Hezbollah Promised Day Brigades Badr BrigadesRogue elements of Iraqi security forcesSoldiers of HeavenShia tribesOther militias Defeat Battle of Ramadi (2006) Mujahideen Shura Council Later reformed as: Islamic State of Iraq United States United Kingdom New Iraqi Army Defeat Second Battle of Habbaniyah Al-Qaeda in Iraq Defeat Ramadan Offensive (2006) Mujahideen Shura Council Al-Qaeda in Iraq United States United Kingdom Denmark El Salvador Victory Islamic State of Iraq Battle Allies Opponents Outcome Battle of Turki Islamic State of Iraq United States Defeat Diyala campaign Islamic State of IraqOther Iraqi Insurgents United States Iraq Peshmerga Defeat Battle of Haifa Street Islamic State of IraqOther Iraqi insurgents Iraq Indecisive Operation Imposing Law Islamic State of Iraq Other Iraqi Insurgents Iraq Awakening movements in Iraq Defeat Operation Phantom Thunder Islamic State of Iraq
Mahdi Army
Other Iraqi insurgents Iraqi Army Revolution Brigade Awakening Movement Defeat Battle of Baqubah Islamic State of Iraq Iraq Defeat Battle of Donkey Island Islamic State of Iraq United States Defeat Operation Shurta Nasir Islamic State of Iraq United States Iraqi Police Forces Defeat Operation Phantom Strike Islamic State of Iraq
Mahdi ArmyMockaitis, Thomas R., The Iraq War Encyclopedia , ABC-CLIO, 2013 Other Iraqi insurgents United States Iraq Indecisive Operation Phantom Phoenix Islamic state of Iraq Other Iraqi Insurgents United States Iraq Georgia United Kingdom Indecisive Ninawa campaign Islamic state of IraqOther Iraqi Insurgents United States Iraq Indecisive 2008 al-Qaeda offensive in Iraq Islamic State of Iraq United States Army New Iraqi Army Indecisive Operation Augurs of Prosperity Islamic State of Iraq Other Iraqi Insurgents Defeat Idlib Governorate clashes (September 2011 – March 2012)
Free Syrian Army Ahrar al-Sham Al-Nusra Front Free Officers Movement () Syrian Government Victory Siege of Homs
Free Officers Movement Free Syrian Army Islamic Front Al-Nusra Front Syrian Government SSNP Defeat Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign (IS) Syrian Arab Republic (until 2024) (2013–2024) (2015–2024) Palestine Liberation Army PFLP–GC Fatah al-Intifada Arab Nationalist Guard SSNP LAAG (from 2013)
Syrian Salvation Government Syrian Interim Government Southern Operations Room Free Syrian Army Al-Nusra Front Ahrar ash-Sham Jaysh al-Islam Defeat Rif Dimashq clashes (November 2011–March 2012)
Free Syrian Army Ahrar al-Sham Al-Nusra Front Syrian Government PFLP–GC Defeat Daraa Governorate campaign (ISIL) Khalid ibn al-Walid Army Wilayat Hawran Syrian Arab Republic Palestine Liberation Army LAAG
Free Syrian ArmySouthern Operations Room (since 2024) Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (since 2017) Al-Nusra Front (until 2017) Ahrar al-Sham Jaysh al-Islam Defeat Deir ez-Zor clashes (2011–2014) Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Islamic State of Iraq until April 2013)Supported by:al-Bakkir clanal-Okaidat clan (minority) Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas (rebel claim)Supported by:
Free Syrian Army (SNC-aligned units) Authenticity and Development Front Al-Nusra FrontAhrar al-Sham Euphrates Islamic Liberation FrontSons of Islam MovementJaysh Ahl as-Sunna wa-l-Jama’aJabhat al-Jihad wal-Bina' al-IslamiyyaLiwa al-Fatihoun min Ard ash-ShamSupported by:al-Okaidat clan (majority) Defeat Battle of Taftanaz Free Syrian Army Suqour al-Sham Liwa Dawud Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Army Defeat 2012 Aleppo Governorate clashes
Free Syrian Army Al-Nusra Front People's Protection Units Syrian Government Victory Akashat ambush Islamic State of Iraq Syrian Arab Republic Victory
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Battle Allies Opponents Outcome 2012–2017 Lebanon–Syria border clashes
Free Syrian Army Saraya Ahl al-Sham Al-Nusra Front (2013–17) 313 Brigade (Syria) Jaysh al-Islam Ahrar al-Sham Al-Qaeda and allies: Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (2017) Fatah al-Islam (until 2014) Ghuraba al-Sham (until 2013) Jund al-Sham (until 2014) Abdullah Azzam Brigades Osbat al-Ansar Osbat al-Nour Sunni Resistance Committees
Lebanese Armed Forces Internal Security Forces Syria Syrian Armed Forces Defeat Siege of Northern Homs Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Jund al-Sham Assoud al-Islam Brigade Bayada Martyr's Brigade (Allegedly by al-Nusra) Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama’a Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces Military Intelligence Directorate (From 2015) Syrian Social Nationalist Party Ba'ath Brigades Shiite Militias
Northern Homs Countryside Operation Room (2015–2018) Ahrar al-Sham Tahrir al-Sham (2017–2018, Al-Nusra Front until 2016) Sham Legion Jaysh al-Izza Homs Legion Ajnad al-Homs 313 Badr Brigade Free Syrian Army Jaysh al-Nasr Harakat al-Fedayeen (From 2015) Central Region Command National Liberation Movement Bani Khalid Tribesmen Authenticity and Development Front Tawhid Army Houla Operations Room (From 2015) Liwa Ahfad Othman Brigade 313 – Free Men of Aqrab Ansar al-Khilafah (From 2013) Jaysh al-Thuwar (2015) Hazzm Movement (2014) Defeat Idlib Governorate clashes (June 2012 – April 2013)
Free Syrian Army Syrian Turkmen Brigades Al-Nusra Front Ahrar al-Sham Liwaa al-Umma Syrian Government Stalemate Battle of Damascus (2012)
Free Syrian Army Ahrar al-Sham Al-Nusra Front
Syrian Government Defeat Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016) Fatah Halab (2015–2016) Jaysh Halab () Army of Conquest (since mid-2016) Ansar al-Sharia (2015–2016) Free Syrian Army Islamic State Ba'athist Syria Iran (from 2013) Russia (from September 2015)Allied militias: Liwa al-Quds(from 2013) (from 2013) Iraqi Shia militias (from 2013) Liwa Fatemiyoun Liwa Zainebiyoun Ba'ath Brigades SSNP (from 2013) Syrian Resistance
YPG YPJ Army of Revolutionaries Defeat Siege of Nubl and al-Zahraa Free Syrian Army Islamic Front Al-Nusra Front
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Ba'athist Syria (from late 2015)Allied militias: Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba Defeat Al-Hasakah Governorate campaign (2012–2014)
Al-Qaeda
Al-Nusra Front Ghuraba al-Sham Ahrar al-Sham Free Syrian Army Syrian Revolution General Commission
Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces Sootoro
Kurdish Supreme Committee People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Syriac Union Party Syriac Military Council Sutoro Army of Dignity Kurdistan Workers' Party Indecisive Raqqa campaign (2012–2013) Syrian Islamic Front Al-Nusra Front Islamic Unity and Liberation Front (JWTI) Free Syrian ArmySupported by:
(border clashes) Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces Victory Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2012) Free Syrian Army Al-Nusra Front Syrian Armed Forces Victory Siege of Menagh Air Base
Free Syrian Army Syrian Islamic Liberation Front Al-Nusra FrontCNN, 22 January 2013, Rebels in northern Syria pin hopes on airbase's downfall Islamic State Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (JAMWA)New York Times, 5 August 2013, Rebels Gain Control of Government Air Base in Syria Syrian Government Victory Rif Dimashq offensive (August–October 2012)
Free Syrian Army Ahrar ash-Sham Al-Nusra Front Syrian government Defeat Siege of Wadi Deif (2012–2013) Free Syrian Army Al-Nusra Front Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Arab Armed Forces Victory Quneitra Governorate clashes (2012–2014)
Syrian Opposition Free Syrian Army Islamic Front Alwiya al-Furqan Al-Nusra Front Aknaf Bait al-Maqdis Ajnad al-Kavkaz (2014) Ahrar al-Sharkas (Became Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz) Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz Syrian Government Arab Tawhid Party UNDOF Victory Rif Dimashq offensive (November 2012–February 2013)
Free Syrian Army Liwa al-Islam Al-Nusra Front Ahrar al-Sham Syrian government PFLP–GC Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas Victory Battle of Ras al-Ayn (2012–13) Revolutionary Military Council of Hasaka Free Syrian Army Ahfad al-Rasul Brigades al-Nusra Front Ghuraba al-ShamSupported by: