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ISIL: Horror, Outrage, Confusion
Our Middle East editor gives a rundown of what you need to know about ISIL.
Civil war in Syria and sectarian upheaval in Iraq allowed the radical Islamist group ISIL to seize control of a large piece of territory spanning the Iraq-Syria border in 2013 and 2014. The group’s sudden rise upended regional politics, and its brutal tactics provoked shock and anger around the world.