There is no question that Shamima Begum is not an innocent bystander. Despite her claims that she was “just a housewife”, she shows no remorse for her decision to join Islamic State, even where specific atrocities are highlighted. In interviews last year, she managed to justify the Manchester Arena bombing as a retaliation against coalition […]
It has been almost 100 years since the Kurds were denied sovereignty at the settlements following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire. Now, demands for Kurdish independence are as strong as ever, and Kurdish contributions to the fight against IS have sparked hope that a Kurdish state can emerge from the ashes of Iraq as […]
In recent weeks the Islamic State has made clear that it is not only fighting a political and religious war, but also a war against History. Home to some of the oldest known civilisations in the world, the cultural heritage of Iraq is invaluable. Yet, the self-proclaimed caliphate is bent on erasing a past that […]