This week I expect that the situation in Iraq and Syria will most probably be much clearer, but this is how I evaluate things now.
As ISIS seems to have begun to focus its activities in Iraq to the western desert areas along the Iraqi-Syrian and Iraqi-Jordanian borders, there are indications that ISIS has also begun to refocus much of its activities to north and northeastern Syria.
A few days ago they tried to attack the Yarubiyah border crossing in far northeastern Syria from the Iraqi side of the border but the Syrian Kurdish forces there convinced them that they should go back to the Iraqi side of the border.
During the past few days they have been attacking, and defeating, the Syrian rebels (primarily al-Nusrah) on the northern side of the Euphrates between the Iraqi-Syrian border and Deir ez-Zor city.
They have also intensified their attacks on Syrian Kurdish forces to the west of Ras al-Ayn, Syria and to the west of Tel Abyad, Syria.
There are now multiple reports that ISIS has warned the people who live in the areas north of Aleppo under the control of al-Nusrah that they should leave the area because they will begin attacking this area.
Their aim seems to be taking control of Azaz, Syria and retaking the Bab al-Salameh border crossing north of Azaz (and south of Kılıs, Turkey).
This map can help you understand where the places mentioned above are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
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I have also been seeing indications that the Iraqi Turkmen have formed a militia of 5,000 armed men to protect the Turkmen areas in Iraq.
The Turkmen areas are primarily southeast of Mosul and west of Mosul (they are essentially along the southern border of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq) and have been the targets of heavy ISIS attacks. Several Turkmen towns and cities have been overrun and occupied by ISIS.
The Iraqi Turkmen are reportedly 60% Shia and 40% Sunni and some Turkmen leaders claim that there are almost one million Iraqi Turkmen.
They have, however, been unable to form a cohesive group for many years, but following the recent ISIS attacks there are indications that they have begun to unify.
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Note: I use ISIS to refer to the recent offensive in Iraq because ISIS is the lead group.