IS lost 22% of its territory in Iraq, Syria since January 2015: analystsMarch 17, 2016 - 11:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Islamic State group has lost 22 percent of the territory it held at the start of 2015, military analysts IHS Jane's said Wednesday, March 16 as U.S. and Russian air strikes have helped the jihadists' opponents advance, AFP said. IS controls swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria but lost 14 percent of it last year and a further eight percent this year, according to the IHS Conflict Monitor. IHS Jane's said the jihadists controlled 73,440 square kilometres of ground as of Monday, an area equivalent to around half the size of England. The Syrian government has made gains in the west of the country and is now five kilometres outside the ancient city of Palmyra, which was overrun by IS fighters in mid-2015. "The Islamic State is increasingly isolated, and being perceived as in decline," said IHS senior analyst Columb Strack. He said the group's reversal of fortunes "plays into the hands" of its main rival, Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate the Al-Nusra Front. "Isolation and further military defeats will make it harder for the Islamic State to attract new recruits to Syria from the pool of foreign jihadis," said Strack, according to AFP. Following the loss of the strategically important town of Tal Abyad on Syria's border with Turkey last year, IHS began to register signs that IS was struggling financially, it said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |