In New Syria, Fears of an ISIS Return

Will the new leaders’ opposition to the Islamic State be enough to avoid a resurgence?

DEEP DIVE

A member of Kurdish security forces stands guard as released detainees prepare to leave the Kurdish-run al-Hol camp, which holds relatives of suspected Islamic State (IS) group fighters in Syria’s northeastern Hasakeh governorate on September 3, 2023, and return to their homes in Raqa. (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Posted: December 17th, 2024

By Tom Nagorski

Tom Nagorski is the Managing Editor for The Cipher Brief. He previously served as Global Editor for Grid and served as ABC News Managing Editor for International Coverage as well as Senior Broadcast Producer for World News Tonight.

By Hollie McKay

Hollie McKay is a writer, war crimes investigator, and the author of “Only Cry for the Living: Memos from Inside the ISIS Battlefield.” (Jocko Publishing/Di Angelo Publications 2021). She was an investigative and international affairs/war correspondent for Fox News Digital for over fourteen years, where she focused on war, terrorism, and crimes against humanity.

DEEP DIVE — Amid all the uncertainty that has followed the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, one issue ranks highest for the U.S. and other countries: the potential resurgence of militant groups in the country, and in particular, a renaissance of ISIS.

The name itself is a reminder of the group’s recent history and geography. “ISIS” stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria – and its battlefield success in Syria a decade ago led to a U.S. military deployment, and a mission that ended the group’s bid to create a new caliphate. The Obama and Trump administrations both claimed victories against ISIS, but both also agreed to maintain a military presence in Syria; roughly 900 American troops remain there today.

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