The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or lately called the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) is making havoc in Iraq lately. The extremist Islamic group is capturing parts of Syria, the West and north regions of Iraq, and advancing at a lightning speed towards Bagdad. They are known for brutal attacks on people who are not their brand of Sunni Muslims and those who are not willing to convert to their faith. They now control a significant part of Syria too.
Many countries including the United States have declared ISIS as a terrorist organization. It presents a real dilemma to the United States. Helping the government of Iraq to fight against ISIS is helping to curb a Sunni rebellion against the government. Fighting them in Syria is helping a Sunni rebellion against the government.
ISIS or ISIL is looking to form a Muslim-inhabited state under one authority. The Levant area includes Jorden, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus and parts of Turkey. ISIS originally organized as a Sunni Arab group that broke away from Al-Qaeda in Iraq. The Syrian civil war gave the rise to the group and soon took control of Sunni majority areas of Syria. In late June 2014, they claimed a caliphate and lately renamed as the Islamic State.