According to unofficial estimates, 40,000 to 50,000 men and women joined
the ranks of ISIS, including some 5,000 to 6,000 from Europe, more than
10,000 from Russia, the Caucasus and
thousands from the Maghreb, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the United
States and even the Maldives. This is in addition to the tens of
thousands of fighters who have joined it from Iraq (the cradle country)
and Syria (the country of geographical extension). The organisation
reached around 100,000 fighters, being able to control vast territories
in both Syria and Iraq, and has sustained dozens of battles on several
fronts for four consecutive years of continuous war.
