The first air strikes
On August 8, 2014, US jets strike Daesh positions in northern Iraq in response to an appeal from Baghdad, in the first American military operation in the country since troops withdrew in late 2011. Already entrenched in neighbouring Syria, Daesh seized swathes of Iraqi territory in a lightning offensive launched in June 2014 and marked by a complete collapse of the security forces.
On September 5, US President Barack Obama vows to build “a broad, international coalition” to defeat Daesh.
On September 23, the US and Arab allies launch air strikes on Daesh in Syria.
Daesh driven out of Ain Al Arab
On January 26, 2015, Daesh is driven out of the Syrian border town of Ain Al Arab, also known as Kobane, after more than four months of fighting led by Kurdish forces backed by coalition air strikes.
On the same day, an Iraqi military official says that the eastern province of Diyala has been liberated.
Iraq’s Tikrit recaptured
On March 31, 2015, Baghdad announces the “liberation” of Tikrit, 160 kilometres north of Baghdad. Government forces backed by Iran-backed militias had launched their offensive on March 2 against Daesh, who had controlled it for nearly 10 months.
But in May, the Daesh takes Iraqi provincial capital Ramadi, and then Syria’s famed ancient city of Palmyra, a Unesco World Heritage site.
Daesh ousted from border town
On June 16, 2015, Kurdish militia backed by Syrian rebel forces and coalition air strikes seize the Syrian border town with Turkey of Tal Abyad from Daesh, which had occupied it for more than a year.
Tal Abyad was one of two main transit points on a key supply route to de facto Daesh capital, Raqqa.
Turkey declares war on Daesh
On July 24, 2015, Turkish warplanes bomb Daesh positions inside Syria for the first time in a dramatic toughening of Ankara’s stance.
But the Turkish raids are largely aimed at positions of the Kurdistan Workers Party in Iraq and Syria.
Turkey gives Washington the green light for American warplanes to fly operations over Syria from its strategic southeastern air base of Incirlik.
Russia intervenes in Syria
On September 30, 2015, Russia launches air strikes in Syria in what it calls a campaign against “terrorists” to help its Damascus regime ally.
Washington accuses Moscow of mainly targeting Syrian rebels.
Iraq’s Sinjar, Ramadi retaken
On November 13, 2015, Iraqi Kurds announce the “liberation” of Sinjar from Daesh in an assault backed by US-led strikes that severs a key terrorist supply line with Syria. Across the border, a coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters drives Daesh out of the village of Al Hol, also on the supply route.
On December 27, Iraqi forces retake Ramadi.
Syrians retake Palmyra
On March 27, 2016, Syrian forces backed by Russia retake Palmyra, but the terrorists manage to isolate the city again on May 10.
US tally of Daesh retreats
On May 16, a Pentagon spokesman says Daesh has lost around 45 per cent of its territory in Iraq, and between 16-20 per cent of land it occupied in Syria. Meanwhile, the US-led coalition continued to target top Daesh officials.
