The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) seized control of Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam today, The New York Times reports. If that sounds familiar, that's because on Sunday there were also reports that ISIS had seized this incredibly strategic asset from forces loyal to Kurdistan, the semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq. We'll see if the Kurds can take it back this time, too.
So, why is this dam so critical? It not only generates about 30 percent of Iraq's electricity, it can also be turned into a terrifying weapon. Here's a refresher from our partner Foreign Policy:
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