ISIS struggles with infighting, defections

The latest victims of ISIS executions may have been ISIS members themselves. We look into reports that fighters who flocked to fight with the group are changing heart, and trying to escape — though few are getting out alive.

Every week seems to bring the story of more young men — and young women — travelling from all over the world to join the ranks of the militant group, ISIS.

The magnetic pull that ISIS exerts on foreign jihadis would seem to be a major part of its strength, but according to new reports on life inside its self-declared Caliphate, the melting pot of foreign recruits may have started boiling over.

In a December, there were reports of the execution of 120 ISIS members, by the group itself. Most were understood to have been caught trying to escape, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Similar executions reportedly happened again in January. Then in February, the bodies of 30-40 people were found inside Syria, believed to be jihadist fighters who had tried to flee.

Signs of genuine disunity inside the ISIS ranks would be a potentially important development for the countries locked in battle with the group.

To find out more, we were joined by:

Lina Khatib heads the Carnegie Middle East Center. 

Faysal Itani is a Middle East specialist with the Atlantic Council. 

This segment was produced by The Current's Marc Apollonio.