Iraq: Islamic State Makes Gains Despite Opposition

Iraq's Islamic State gained notable amounts of territory Aug. 3 after seizing three towns and the Ain Zalah oil field. It also claims to have captured Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam on the Tigris River near Mosul, although Baghdad denies this. The militant group's expansion is no small feat, considering the opposition it currently faces. Indeed, the militaries of Iraq and Syria are trying to halt its advance, as are a variety of armed militias. But the Islamic State is also angering many of the Sunnis it purports to represent, thanks in part to its draconian style of governance.