By Shahid Ahmad
ISIS, which once proclaimed a caliphate, ruled over major cities, and cultivated an image of overwhelming power, has undergone a striking transformation in both form and method. The organization that first took root in Iraq and Syria now functions as a diffuse and clandestine network in the wake of its battlefield defeats.
The group’s former ambition to seize and govern territory has largely faded. Today, its objectives focus on spreading fear, fomenting instability, and advancing an ideological agenda. Rather than engaging in open combat, ISIS increasingly relies on infiltration, suicide attacks, targeted assassinations, and intelligence-driven operations. These methods allow it to remain largely hidden while retaining the capacity to strike with precision.
A critical new arena has emerged in the digital domain. Online platforms have become central to ISIS’s strategy, including recruiting followers, disseminating extremist propaganda, discrediting opposing viewpoints, and reinforcing its worldview. The battle is no longer solely for land, but for the minds and beliefs of individuals.
Despite significant military setbacks, ISIS continues to resurface, exploiting political divisions, sectarian tensions, and broader social vulnerabilities. It seeks opportunities wherever fractures exist, whether between states, communities, or within societies themselves.
This evolution demonstrates that ISIS has not vanished; it has adapted. Confronting it requires more than conventional military force. Success demands a comprehensive strategy that integrates intellectual, cultural, social, and intelligence efforts. Scholars, educators, and public thinkers must lead the ideological challenge, while social media platforms must actively curb extremist propaganda. Equally important is equipping young people with a strong foundation of religious, civic, and national awareness to resist manipulation. Regional and international coordination is indispensable, for ISIS represents a transnational threat, not a local one.
Only through such a holistic approach can the group be confronted effectively across all fronts, including military, ideological, and informational, and its ambitions disrupted before they can take root.