A/HRC/29/51 territory in the north of the Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq previously controlled by ISI and Jabhat al-Nusra.4 15. Since the inception of ISIL, its priority has been the construction of a so-called State.5 In pursuance of this goal, on 29 June 2014, the leader of ISIL renamed the group the “Islamic State” and declared it a caliphate. ISIL now controls territory in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic in which an estimated 8 million individuals live. At the time of writing, in Iraq, ISIL controlled swathes of territory in the provinces of Anbar, Ninewa, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Diyala, Babil and Erbil, with Iraqi forces making gains in several areas, notably recapturing Tikrit in April 2015. In the Syrian Arab Republic, ISIL controlled large swathes of territory in the governorates of Aleppo, Ar-Raqqah, Idlib, AlHasakah and Dayr Az-Zawr. It has also been reported that ISIL directly controls territory in other countries, including Libya. 6 In addition, it has been reported that several groups around the globe have pledged allegiance to ISIL,7 and in some cases, there has been an “extension” of the territory of the caliphate.8 16. ISIL has consolidated its financial capacity by expanding its control over natural resources in both the Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq, notably by seizing oilfields in both countries. It has also been alleged that ISIL seized the reserves of the Iraqi Central Bank held in Mosul in June 2014. ISIL has reportedly received substantial financial support from foreign States, wealthy individuals and charitable organizations. 17. The military capacity of ISIL has continued to grow, largely as a result of looting weapons and military hardware from other Syrian armed belligerents and from the Iraqi army after its successful military campaign in Iraq. It is believed that arms and support provided to other more moderate armed groups have ultimately fallen into the hands of ISIL. ISIL has also purchased military hardware through local markets. 18. The expansion of ISIL has been helped by the inflow of foreign fighters. While figures vary, it is possible that more than 20,000 foreigners have joined the ranks of nonState armed groups in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic,9 from at least 80 countries from 4 5 6 7 8 9 See “Rule of terror”, para. 5; United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)/OHCHR, “Report on the Protection of Civilians in the Non International Armed Conflict in Iraq: 5 June–5 July 2014”, footnote 3; Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team on The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (S/2014/815), paras. 1–2, 6–8 and 11–17. See also Patrick Cockburn, The Rise of Islamic State: ISIS and the New Sunni Revolution (London and New York, Verso Books, 2015); and Jessica Stern and J.M. Berger, ISIS: The State of Terror (London, William Collins, 2015). See Erin Marie Saltman and Charlie Winter, Islamic State: The Changing Face of Modern Jihadism, (Quilliam, 2014) and Stern and Berger, ISIS: The State of Terror (chap. 8). In Barqa (Cyrenaica) in the east, Fezzan in the south, and Tripolitania in the west. See Eric Schmitt and David D. Kirkpatrick, “Islamic State sprouting limbs beyond its base”, New York Times, 14 February 2015. Available from www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/world/middleeast/islamic-statesprouting-limbs-beyond-mideast.html?_r=2. See also Human Rights Watch, “Libya: Extremists Terrorizing Derna Residents”, 27 November 2014. Available from www.hrw.org/news/2014/11/27/libya-extremists-terrorizing-derna-residents. Boko Haram (Nigeria), Abu-Sayyaf (Philippines), Ansar Bait al-Maqdis (Egypt) and Ansar al-Sharia (Yemen), among others, have all reportedly pledged allegiance to the “Islamic State”. See “Rule of terror” para. 17. On 13 November 2014, the leader of ISIL announced the expansion of the Islamic State to “new lands” (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Libya and Algeria) following pledges made to him by various groups active in these territories. ISIL created new provinces in these countries and appointed “governors”. See Stern and Berger, ISIS: The State of Terror. See S/2014/815, para. 14. See also Peter R. Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and political violence (ICSR), “Foreign fighter total in Syria/Iraq now exceeds 20,000; surpasses Afghanistan conflict in the 1980s”, 26 January 2015. 5