Rebels fighting the governments of Iraq and Syria have set up their own state. It is a caliphate (an Islamic nation). The rebels are from the group ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). They are also called ISIL (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). The state stretches from Aleppo in northern Syria to Diyala in eastern Iraq. The rebels have been fighting for that area. ISIL put a post online announcing the new state. It said ISIL's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi would be the head of the new state, and that he would be "leader for Muslims everywhere".

Wikipedia says ISIS thinks the state should be bigger. It wants parts of Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Turkey, and Cyprus. It is a Sunni Muslim group and says the governments of Iraq and Syria dislike it. It had links 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…al-Qaeda cut all ties with the group." Al Qaeda did not agree with attacks on civilians that have left thousands dead. Iraq has received several military jets from Russia to help fight the rebels.