The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham: Notoriety Amid VolatilityThe Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS, is a revolutionary jihadist organization that has played a active in the Middle East since it was founded by Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi in 2004. Based in Iraq, they have claimed responsibility for over six thousand civilian casualties between 2004 and 2012. In their relentless efforts to create a Sunni Islamic state in every region in which to fight, ISIS has changed the face of the Iraq war and, more recently, the Syrian civil war. The organization has become known for its ruthless attacks on civilians through car bombs and videotaped executions and has achieved a notorious and fearsome reputation throughout the Middle East. ISIS has exclusively targeted non-combatant Shia Muslims, often considered off-limits to most jihadist organizations. Amnesty International recently brought to light the extent of human rights violations and is calling on the international community to put pressure on ISIS to end its war crimes. ISIS's ruthlessness, as well as the targeting of its terrorist attacks, is motivated by its draconian interpretation of Islam. This significantly differentiated them from other jihadist groups, most notoriously al Qaeda. ISIS's pursuit of its goals has caused infighting in Iraq and Syria and led to a serious rift between the organizations. To understand their ruthless nature, even when compared to al Qaeda and other jihadist groups, it is necessary to understand the role religion plays within them. their organization and how religion is the driving force behind their goals. ISIS members are motivated by extreme religious ideology and draconian interpretation… middle of paper… terrorist tactics to further their ideological goal of creating a Sunni Islamic state in Iraq, and now Syria. Their violence against Shia Muslims and ruthless attacks on civilians, as well as other rebel brigades, have caused clashes with other al-Qaeda factions in Iraq and Syria. This, coupled with ISIS's public lack of respect for the organization, led Al-Qaeda to announce its separation from the group earlier this year. ISIS' human rights abuses have attracted the attention of the international community, which is under pressure to take action against the group for its war crimes. ISIS's pursuit of its goals has caused extreme infighting in Iraq and Syria, as well as enormous casualties. Their reckless behavior has caused rifts with al Qaeda and jihadist rebels in Syria, and will continue to separate them from their counterparts in the future.