Release assesses the impact of Islamic State
Islamic State’s leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has blown himself up to escape capture by US forces.
The IS leader drove Christians out of Iraq as he sought to establish his brutal caliphate.
So what will the death of the IS leader in Iraq mean for Christians in the region? Trans World Radio asked Andrew Boyd of Release International about the impact of the Islamic State group.
IS continues to have a presence in many countries, including Nigeria, where a faction of Boko Haram has pledged allegiance.
The group claimed to be behind more than 3,500 attacks around the world in 2018. The previous year IS claimed responsibility for the Manchester Arena bombing in the UK. Even without Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi at the helm, individuals who support the ideals of IS are likely to continue acts of terrorism in their name.
According to the UN the greatest threat is now from returning foreign fighters who supported IS. Some 40,000 were said to have responded to the call from IS to fight with them in Syria and Iraq.
Release International is supporting refugees from IS in Kurdistan. Release is providing practical and spiritual support to people who have been driven out by IS forces in Syria and Iraq.
