The coalition against the Islamic State: why it was formed
The countries in the US-led coalition are Canada, Turkey, Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Albania, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
The Islamic State, a Sunni extremist group which split from the al-Qaida, has captured vast swathes of territory – the size of Great Britain – in Iraq and Syria, and declared a Caliphate there. Known for its shocking brutality, it is considered to be a destabilizing force and threat by Arab nations and the west. Besides beheading two Americans and one British hostage – acts that were filmed by the militant group – the Islamic State has executed hundreds of Shias and other Muslim minorities, reportedly forced women into becoming sex slaves, and driven out tens of thousands of people from their homes and villages in Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State is well-funded, well-armed and has among its ranks thousands of hard-core fighters.