The news from Iraq was nothing short of stunning: A group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) managed to take control of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, adding to a growing expanse of territory on both sides of the border between Iraq and Syria now under the control of the ultra-extremist Sunni militant organization.
As shocking as the sudden conquest was the impact it had on the population. Within hours of the Iraqi military’s retreat and the ensuing hoisting of the Islamists’ flag, half a million residents of Mosul started streaming out of the city in what must count as one of the largest waves of internal displacement in such a short span of time.
With its victory in Mosul, ISIS sent a clear message that it has grown into a major power, a force that all domestic, regional and international players will have to consider in their strategic and tactical considerations.