Timeline of the rise and fall of the Islamic State group

Islamic State group erupted from chaos of Syria and Iraq’s conflicts and swiftly did what Islamic militant group h done before, conquering a giant stretch of territory and declaring itself a “caliphate.” Its territorial rule, which at its height in 2014 stretched across nearly a third of both Syria and Iraq, ended in March with a last stand by several hundred of its militants at a tiny Syrian vill on banks of Euphrates near border with Iraq.

But militants have maintained a presence in both countries, and ir showy leer Abu Bakr al-Baghdi h continued releasing messs urging m to keep up fight. U.S. officials said late Saturday that he was target of an American raid in Syria and may have died in an explosion.

Here are key moments in rise and fall of Islamic State group:

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April 2013 — Abu Bakr al-Baghdi, leer of al-Qaida’s branch in Iraq, anunces merger of his group with al-Qaida’s franchise in Syria, forming Islamic State in Iraq and Levant.

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2014

January — Al-Baghdi’s forces overrun city of Fallujah in Iraq’s western Anbar province and parts of nearby provincial capital of Rami. In Syria, y seize sole control of city of Raqqa after driving out rival Syrian rebel factions, and it becomes ir de facto capital.

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February — Al-Qaida leer Ayman al-Zawahri disavows al-Baghdi after Iraqi militant igres his demands that IS leave Syria.

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June — IS captures Mosul, Iraqi’s second-largest city, and pushes south as Iraqi forces crumble, eventually capturing Sdam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit and reaching outskirts of Baghd. When y threaten Shiite holy sites, Iraq’s top Shiite cleric issues a call to arms, and masses of volunteers, largely backed and armed by Iran, join militias.

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June 29 — group renames itself Islamic State and declares establishment of a self-styled “caliphate,” a tritional model of Islamic rule, in its territories in Iraq and Syria. Al-Baghdi is declared caliph.

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July 4 — Al-Baghdi makes his first public appearance, delivering a Friday sermon in Mosul’s historic al-Nuri Mosque. He urges Muslims around world to swear allegiance to caliphate and obey him as its leer.

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August — IS captures town of Sinjar west of Mosul and begins a systematic slaughter of tiny Yazidi religious community. Women and girls are kidnapped as sex slaves; hundreds remain missing to this day.

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Aug. 8 — U.S. launches its campaign of airstrikes against IS in Iraq.

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Sept. 22 — U.S.-led coalition begins an aerial campaign against IS in Syria.

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2015

January — Iraqi Kurdish fighters, backed by U.S.-led airstrikes, drive IS out of several towns rth of Mosul. In Syria, Kurdish fighters backed by U.S. airstrikes repel an IS onslaught on town of Kobani on border with Turkey, first significant defeat for IS.

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April 1 — U.S.-backed Iraqi forces retake Tikrit, ir first major victory against IS.

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May 20 — IS captures ancient Syrian town of Palmyra, where extremists later destroy archaeological treasures.

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2016

Feb. 9 — Iraqi forces recapture Rami after months of fighting and at ermous cost, with thousands of buildings destroyed. Almost entire population fled city.

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June 26 — Fallujah is declared liberated by Iraqi forces after a five-week battle.

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July 3 — IS sets off a gigantic suicide truck bomb outside a Baghd shopping mall, killing almost 300 people, deliest attack in Iraq since 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

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Oct. 17 — Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abi anunces start of operation to liberate Mosul.

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v. 5 — U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces launch Operation Euphrates Wrath, first of five operations aiming to retake Raqqa, starting with an encircling of city.

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2017

Jan. 24 — Al-Abi anunces eastern Mosul has been “fully liberated.”

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May 10 — SDF captures strategic Tabqa dam after weeks of battles and a major airlift operation that brought SDF fighters and ir U.S. visers to area. fall of dam facilitated push on Raqqa, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away.

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June 6 — SDF fighters begin an attack on Raqqa from three sides, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.

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June 18 — Iraqi forces launch battle for Mosul’s Old City, last IS stronghold re.

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June 21 — IS destroys Mosul’s iconic al-Nuri Mosque and its 12th century leaning minaret as Iraqi forces close in, according to Iraqi and coalition officials.

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July 10 — Iraqi prime minister declares victory over IS in Mosul and end of extremists’ caliphate in Iraq.

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Oct. 17 — SDF takes full control of Raqqa after months of heavy bombardment that devastates city.

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September-December —Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air power and Iranian forces, recapture IS territory on western bank of Euphrates River, seizing cities of Deir el-Zour, Mayin and Boukamal on border with Iraq.

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2018

Aug. 23 — IS leer al-Baghdi resurfaces in his first purported audio recording in almost a year; he urges followers to “persevere” and continue fighting.

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Sept. 10 — SDF launches a ground offensive, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, to take last territory held by IS in Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour.

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2019

March 23 — SDF declares complete capture of Baghouz and end of Islamic State group’s territorial “caliphate.”

Oct. 27 — White House says President Donald Trump plans to make a “major anuncement” after U.S. officials say al-Baghdi was target of an American raid in Syria’s rthwestern Idlib province. officials say confirmation of his death in an explosion is pending.