How intense is the conflict between ISIS and Al-Qaeda?

Daniel L. Byman and Jennifer R. Williams explore the conflict between Al Qaeda and the Islamic State and the future of the global jihadist movement. ... violence against Iraqi Sunnis eventually led to a backlash that, when combined with the U.S. troop surge and associated change in strategy in Iraq, hit the group hard. read more

The conflict is pretty intense. It has gone beyond an argument between brothers and they are basically at war with each other. The culprit is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. Al-Qaeda, meanwhile, is trying its best to reunify the movement, even offering to forgive ISIS for the murder of many al-Qaeda high-level affiliates. read more

Bin Laden got an affiliate in the most important theater of jihad at a time when the Al Qaeda core was weak and on the run, and Zarqawi got Al Qaeda’s prestige and contacts to bolster his legitimacy.Yet even in its early days the group bickered with the Al Qaeda leadership. read more