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Rebels that are fighting the governments of Iraq and Syria have set up their own state. It is called a caliphate, an Islamic nation. The rebels are from the group ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). The group is also called ISIL (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). The newly declared state stretches from Aleppo in the north of Syria to Diyala in eastern Iraq. That is the area under the control of the rebels who have been fighting government troops in both countries. ISIL put a recorded statement online on Sunday announcing the new state. It said ISIL's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi would be "the caliph" (the head of the state) and that he would also be "leader for Muslims everywhere".
Wikipedia says ISIS leaders think their state should be bigger. They also want parts of Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, southern Turkey, and Cyprus. Its members are largely Sunni Muslims who say they are disliked by the governments of Iraq and Syria. It was linked to Al Qaeda when it first started but those links have been cut. Wikipedia said: "ISIS had close links with al-Qaeda until 2014, but in February of that year, after an eight-month power struggle, al-Qaeda cut all ties with the group." Reports are that Al Qaeda did not agree with attacks on civilians that have led to thousands of deaths. Iraq has received several military jets from Russia to help fight the rebels.
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