IndexWhat was ISIS's goal? How long did ISIS maintain control of its territory and how did it do so? So, who did this radical group target? Anyone who has heard of ISIS knows how dangerous and ferocious it can be. ISIS has claimed many horrific attacks and killed many innocent people. ISIS is undoubtedly one of the most notorious militant groups ever and has caused chaos throughout the Middle East. After the fall of Syria, ISIS rose to power by taking advantage of the weakening of the Syrian government as it went through civil war. ISIS is the most dangerous militant group that carries out dangerous attacks against Western countries. ISIS was originally part of Osama bin Laden's radical group called al Qaeda. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the founder of the radical group ISIS, has decided to separate and do his own thing. Zarqawi was killed in a US airstrike in 2006 and al-Masri became the new leader. Then Masri died when the US invaded Iraq, so another leader came to power, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Baghdadi wanted to use a brutal tactic where they carry out heinous acts and film them to show the world. One of the most widely publicized acts of violence committed by ISIS was the beheading of US journalist James Foley, then a month later ISIS committed another horrific act by beheading a second US journalist Steven Sotloff. In response to ISIS violence, many countries have pledged to defeat the terrorist group. Overall, ISIS has been around since 2006 and wants to enforce its own laws and believe it can create its own state. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay What was ISIS's goal? ISIS's main goal was to create an Islamic state and implement sharia laws. Sharia laws are a strict religious code based on historical Islamic rules and practices. Since this was ISIS's main goal, they began to conquer territories in Syria and Iraq. To achieve this, the group decided to join the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad where it was easier to obtain weapons. Although they were against the Syrian government, the book The Rise of ISIS states “that ISIS only targeted 13% of the Syrian government.” Aleppo and Raqqa, both major cities in Syria, were seized by ISIS in a matter of months, weapons taken from the rebellion helped ISIS take control of these major cities. Furthermore, the main element that helped ISIS capture these cities was the civil war going on at the time against the Syrian government. According to the book The Rise of ISIS, it is stated that “ISIS shocked observers with the speed with which it took control of large amounts of Iraqi territory.” This source shows that it was a surprise that ISIS conquered so much territory in a short period of time. The taking of these cities affected many families in those areas and killed many innocent people. Staying in power and expanding is the main goal of this terrorist group. How long did ISIS maintain control of its territory and how did it do so? ISIS had control of Aleppo, Mosul, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor for four years. The main reason that helped them maintain control of these large cities was recruitment. ISIS targeted young people in Syria because of the Syrian war and the fact that schools and mosques were falling apart. Most of these young people are manipulated by other ISIS fighters who, having radical opinions, can benefit themduring the war in Syria. Since ISIS had access to schools and mosques, it was easier for the group to recruit young people. The group not only targeted children, but also adults, especially Westerners. Many people from countries like the US, UK and France have joined ISIS. Having all these hires helps ISIS continue to expand and be less likely to fall thanks to all the support it receives. Another reason why ISIS was able to maintain control for a long period of time is because they had financial leverage. This means that ISIS has taken control of the oil-filled city of Deir ez-Zor. Having control of these oil fields can create money for ISIS which ends up being spent on weapons. According to some reports, ISIS sells oil for between $20 and $40 a barrel. Some people have estimated that ISIS makes millions a month from oil alone. Having so much money helps the militant group gain influence, which is key to holding territory in Syria and Iraq. So, who did this radical group target? ISIS has usually targeted the West, i.e. USA, UK, Spain, etc. The main reason they hate the West is their involvement in the Middle East and their claim to have torn apart Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. They also believe that all Western countries have introduced drugs and gambling and encourage people to get involved in these things. Finally, another source of hatred towards the West is simply intolerance towards other cultures. Cultural practices create a rift between the West and ISIS. These are mainly the reasons why they have so much hatred towards the West. Because of these beliefs, ISIS has carried out some horrific attacks on the West killing innocent men, women and children. After many of these attacks were claimed by ISIS, many Westerners wanted this to end. Even al Qaeda, the group from which they branched off, believes that the Islamic State is too extremist. ISIS uses its ideologies to carry out attacks, but it must plan carefully. According to Bruce Hoffman, “attacks are carried out within the ideology of a group.” This source explains that ISIS's ideology is to attack the West and this is what their plan was. ISIS, a cruel and vigorous terrorist group, has ruined many lives and carried out horrific attacks on innocents. After a militant group destroys half the country, what are the consequences for Syria? Major cities were destroyed and families' homes were destroyed. Furthermore, places such as schools, stadiums, mosques, etc. they no longer exist and have been left in rubles. Raqqa, a large city that was once home to 400,000 people, has now become unrecognizable to those who once lived there. The city has no working water or electricity and there are still hundreds of bombs planted by ISIS that have not been defused. The war against ISIS has almost leveled the city and the United States is working to restore basic services. Furthermore, ISIS militants have destroyed historical monuments in Syria. One in particular that was destroyed was the ancient Roman theater that was located in Palmyra. They believe this is how ISIS carries out propaganda. According to Robin Yassin Kassab, “after the war, 2,500 peaceful protesters were arrested and tortured.” This shows that Syria has not been stable after all and it may be because of ISIS. After all, Syria has been involved in many civil wars and the fact that ISIS tore the country apart didn't help. Given that one of ISIS's main goals is to seek revenge on the West, what did they do.