“Ramadan, the month of conquest and jihad… make it a month of calamity everywhere for the non-believers.”
At the time, we could only predict what the demand called for by Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the spokesman for ISIS, would do. Yet today, the damage is done and the effect is apparent Attacks have risen in multiple predominantly Muslim countries, namely Bangladesh, Jordan, Iraq, and Yemen.
Several ISIS suicide attacks in Yemen in the southeastern city of Mukalla killed more than 40 on June 27.
On June 28, three men who had been armed with assault rifles and suicide bombs attacked Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, killing 44 people. ISIS had not claimed responsibility for the tragedy, however as of July 4th, 29 suspects have been suspected to be connected to the attack.
Shortly after, an overnight siege at a cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh took place on July 1st. 40 people were wounded, and 20 were killed. Although ISIS did claim responsibility, there is analysis being conducted on whether it was more likely to be an Al Qaeda administered attack or not.
Only the day after, July 2nd, a suicide car bomb attack in Iraq’s capital Baghdad that killed at least 125 people, including 25 children. Isis claimed responsibility for the tragic event.
Most recently, Medina’s Great Mosque was attacked by a suicide bomber during these last days of Ramadan as of 0638 GMT on July 5, 2016
Now when the public argues that Islam is misrepresented by ISIS, a significant amount of people cannot seem to wrap their minds around that fact. What events have tragically occurred During the most holy month to Muslims prove that ISIS is not only tearing apart the lives of innocent victims, but tarnishing the reputation of Islam to those who are wrongly skeptical of the religion.
From these events, we need to come together as a community and establish one thing: ISIS has never, and never will, represent Islam.
