At The Washington Post, Liz Sly writes, “Reports of rising tensions between foreign and local fighters, aggressive and increasingly unsuccessful attempts to recruit local citizens for the front lines, and a growing incidence of guerrilla attacks against Islamic State targets suggest the militants are struggling to sustain their carefully cultivated image as a fearsome fighting force drawing Muslims together under the umbrella of a utopian Islamic state.” Internal strife and strong challenges from ethnic and sectarian forces, notably those in Kurdish and Shiite areas, have apparently taken a toll on the group’s numbers and strength, Sly reports.