Part 7/14:

• External powers, especially the U.S., Russia, and regional actors like Iran and Turkey, have intervened repeatedly, often supporting different factions to serve their geopolitical interests. These interventions have perpetuated instability rather than resolved it.

The Emergence of Jihadism and the Islamic State

Frustrated by these failures, various jihadist groups emerged, with the Muslim Brotherhood's ideological descendants evolving into organizations like al-Qaeda and ISIS.

The Ideology of ISIS

ISIS, formed from the chaos of Iraq and Syria, declared itself a caliphate and sought to forge a transnational Islamic state. They justified brutal acts—including mass executions, beheadings, and ethnic cleansing—by claiming to restore authentic Islamic governance.