Reports of Demise of ISIL Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

Hashem Osseiran, 'Why Reports of ISIS’ Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated' Syria Deeply Dec. 15, 2017

The militants' last vestiges of territory are coming under severe strain by a wide array of rivals. It is only a matter of time before militants are driven to rugged hideouts in Homs and in the Euphrates Valley region. But as military battles subside across the country, a slow-grinding and methodical campaign should kick off to prevent an ISIS resurgence.  “To properly talk of a victory over the group, the conditions that gave rise to them must be eradicated. By that, I mean that people must improve their living conditions, be granted better access to political structures and to be able to exert their agency in whatever way they wish,” Mabon said. “To fully defeat ISIS, such conditions must be addressed, preventing grievances from emerging that force people to turn to groups such as ISIS as a means of survival,” he added. However, with military operations against militants still underway, there has yet to be any significant attempt to battle the ideological residues of the group or address the grievances that led to its emergence.

Also of course, preventing them regrouping involves cutting off as many of their potential sources of revenue, and - whether selfish collectors like it or not - that means making sure nobody can easily monetise illicit antiquities. That is obvious to all but empty-brain traders in trophies of the past.