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None of us can go a day without hearing or reading another story about ISIS, but how many of us can actually put a definition behind this notorious acronym? There’s no need to be embarrassed if you don’t know much about this terrorist group; instead take this as your opportunity to educate yourself for the future.

ISIS, also known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, was formed in April 2013 as an offspring of AlQaeda (although they have since been renounced by AlQaeda). Since this group is so new, its status and legitimacy by other world powers is in constant debate.

What we do know is that this group consists of some thousands of Sunni, extremist jihadists whose goal is to slowly take power in multiple susceptible areas in the Middle East. Their power began to rise in Iraq, where a Shi’ite president was running the Sunni majority population. ISIS took the role of representative of the “oppressed” Sunni people, and successively gained power.

During the Syrian Civil War, this community of ISIS followers and new recruits expanded to the Sunni-majority led areas in Syria, and is continuing to do so today. The group will not stop until taking control of the “Levant” or the area they consider to be theirs: Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Southern Turkey.

ISIS has been labeled a terrorist group by several Western countries, many of which, including the US, are taking strong security precautions against any external terrorist threat in the near future.