United States-backed fighters have captured the Islamic State (IS) redoubt of Baghouz in Syria, the last remaining slice of territory held by the terrorist group led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Much has been written about the end of the IS’s so-called caliphate, which once comprised 88,000 square kilometres stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq. The victory came through a gruelling and chaotic campaign that was often marred by the competing interests of Syria, Russia and the US. The caliphate attracted thousands of jihadis from many countries, including India, over the past five years, allowing the IS to plan and execute brazen attacks such as the ones in Paris in 2015 and in Dhaka in 2016.

However, the capture of Baghouz should not be equated with the end of the IS. Lessons should be learnt from the situation in Iraq, which declared victory over the group in late 2017. Already, the United Nations has warned that the IS has evolved into a “covert network” in Iraq that is consolidating and organising cells in some provinces, especially in remote areas. Security experts are apprehensive about a similar situation emerging in Syria, one reason why President Donald Trump has held off on pulling all 2,000 US troops out of the country. Besides Baghdadi being still at large, the IS is believed to still have between 14,000 and 20,000 fighters in the region.

Though the IS’s use of the Internet for propaganda, recruitment and inspiring attacks across the globe has waned somewhat in recent years, there is reason to believe it still possesses online capabilities to spread its toxic ideology. Many have taken comfort in the fact that only about 150 Indians have been affiliated in some way with the IS, but this is no reason for complacency. India must work with the world community to root out the group.

First Published: Mar 27, 2019 18:01 IST