Militancy in the Middle East and South Asia
By Shenaz Kermali, Special to CTVNews.ca
A string of recent attacks by Al-Qaeda inspired militants in Iraq and Pakistan are signs of the increasing possibility of a full-blown Sunni-Shia civil war breaking out across the region.
Over the past few days, the al Qaeda splinter group Levant -- also known as ISIS — has taken over the major cities of Mosul and Tikrit and is now advancing towards Baghdad.
Iran is taking quiet but visible measures to counter an ISIS attack on Baghdad, the holy cities of Karbala and Samarra, and Iran itself -- including cancelling hundreds of flights into Iraq, boosting forces along their border and publicly endorsing populist rebel Shia leader Muqtada Al-Sadr.
The suiciding bombing and gun battles in Karachi, Pakistan earlier this week were the latest of a string of targeted attacks against minority populations in Pakistan. These attacks may have been committed by a different group but they share a common thread: to create sectarian tension and eventually establish a Sunni caliphate across the region. Creating a Sunni-Shia schism is a mantra that Osama bin Laden declared over 10 years ago and is now being echoed by the leader of ISIS.
The map highlights this rising tide of militancy across the region, following the attacks in Karachi and takeover of Mosul and Tikrit.
