By Harleen Gambhir
ISIS is executing a global strategy to defend and expand its territory within Iraq and Syria; to foster affiliates and exacerbate disorder in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia; and to inspire and resource polarizing terror attacks in the wider world. The map depicts the geographic areas of those parallel campaigns, labeled the Interior, Near Abroad, and Far Abroad rings, respectively. The map also marks the areas where ISIS has declared one or more “wilayats,” or governorates in the Near Abroad. ISIS maintains active affiliates in each of its governorates, which provide the organization with strategic resiliency outside of Iraq and Syria.