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Video tags
Subtitles
Russian
00:00:04
Today, everyone is talking
about these men.00:00:11
Syrian jihadists, fighting a war
against the Bashar al-Assad regime,00:00:14
fiercely determined brigades.00:00:20
There's the all-powerful Islamic State,
but they are not alone.00:00:24
Lots of other factions
are fighting on the ground.00:00:29
We obtained permission to follow several
of the most hardline of these brigades.00:00:33
This isn't training, everyone,
push yourselves!00:00:37
These are paramilitary groups,
mainly Syrians.00:00:40
Some are made up
of former members of the Islamic State,00:00:42
or the Al-Nusra Front, close to Al-Qaeda.00:00:46
Allahu Akbar!00:00:50
Several thousand combatants00:00:51
come together in factions
around Latakia, Idlib, and Aleppo.00:00:56
Like the Islamic State,
they are fighting a holy war.00:01:00
Like the Islamic State,
they want to bring down the regime.00:01:04
Like the Islamic State,00:01:06
they dream of establishing
a new caliphate.00:01:11
For all these reasons,
the Islamic State and the brigades00:01:13
don't fight each other,
nor are they allies.00:01:16
They cohabit.00:01:19
These jihad squadrons
wage war relentlessly.00:01:24
We obtained exceptional permission
to follow these men for nine days,00:01:35
both into combat,00:01:37
and in their everyday lives.00:01:43
Never before
have these men been filmed in this way00:01:52
We accompanied these jihadists
into the heart of the Syrian conflict00:01:57
where we even saw a combatant blown up
trying to bring down an enemy position.00:02:03
This detonator can always be used
against the pigs.00:02:22
The northern suburb of Aleppo,00:02:26
June 2015.00:02:32
These men, playing a pickup soccer game,
belong to Ansar al-Aqeeda,00:02:36
a very influential component
of the jihadist rebellion00:02:38
in the north of Syria.00:02:42
These are the men we will follow
for over a week.00:02:44
[Arabic spoken audio]00:02:49
None of this would have been possible
but for this man, Abu Mohammad al-Halabi.00:02:55
This 40-something with a beard and glasses
created the faction around one year ago.00:03:00
Before that, he was the undisputed leader
in the north, of Jabhat al-Nusra,00:03:04
a Salafist group affiliated with Al-Qaeda.00:03:08
A warlord with a bloodthirsty reputation,
he is always in command, even here,00:03:13
when it comes to putting the ball
in the opposition goal.00:03:18
If you want to pass the ball,
never look to your right!00:03:22
[Arabic spoken audio]00:03:29
According to several American sources,
he was shot dead in a raid in 2012.00:03:36
As if by miracle, he lives again.00:03:49
Here in this Aleppo school,
partly destroyed by the regime's bombing,00:03:53
the chief of Ansar al-Aqeeda,
the followers of faith,00:03:56
established his headquarters
some months ago.00:04:03
Commander and religious leader,
this is the image he likes to put across.00:04:10
Every day, the same ritual.00:04:14
From 8:00 in the morning,00:04:15
Abu Mohammed and his men
take lessons in the akham,00:04:18
an extreme reading of the Quran.00:04:22
The education is provided
by one of their eminence grise,00:04:24
himself a jihadi veteran.00:04:27
We study the word of God and his prophet,00:04:30
may the blessing of peace be upon him,00:04:33
and we make them aware of jihad00:04:37
so that they might become true believers.00:04:45
Religion,00:04:49
and war.00:04:51
The two fundamentals of Abu Mohammad.00:04:55
He even wanted to appear
in traditional mujahideen costume00:04:58
at work in his office.00:05:02
It seems that the man is extremely
distrustful towards journalists,00:05:05
as he soon reminds us.00:05:07
We realized the intelligence services
knew a lot about us.00:05:12
Where did their information come from?00:05:14
We began digging, investigating,00:05:18
and we came to the conclusion00:05:22
that journalists were behind all that.00:05:28
Therefore, why us?00:05:31
We met Abu Mohammed in 2012,
in Aleppo, at the beginning of the war,00:05:36
and we forged a bond of trust.00:05:38
We maintained contact since then,00:05:40
and a few months ago,
asked if we could follow him for a week.00:05:44
He agreed because he wants to show
who these combatants are00:05:48
and explain why they are fighting.00:05:51
Throughout this shoot,
we must follow the rules he will lay down.00:05:56
The daily fear of the war
we're about to experience00:05:59
is firstly the bombing.00:06:24
Just four years ago,
Aleppo was the economic lungs of Syria.00:06:30
Now, more than half the city
lies in ruins.00:06:36
The threat here almost
always comes from the sky.00:06:40
Barrels of oil or gas cylinders
loaded with powerful explosives,00:06:44
and sometimes also scrap metal
and combustibles,00:06:46
whose use is prohibited
by the Geneva Convention.00:06:53
A bomb has fallen in this neighborhood,00:06:55
now under jihadist control,
but where many civilians live.00:06:59
[Arabic spoken audio]00:07:03
Amnesty International says
that over 3,000 people00:07:06
paid for the army's untimely
drops with their lives,00:07:08
and that was just in 2014.00:07:11
The regime continues to deny
using these lethal weapons,00:07:14
claiming they're only
targeting the rebels.00:07:17
Here, there's only material damage.00:07:19
[Arabic spoken audio]00:07:23
We're coming, Bashar, you filthy dog!00:07:27
Shame on you, Bashar00:07:30
and on your mufti Ahmad Hassoun00:07:33
who orders you to bomb us!00:07:43
There's been another one.00:07:48
Barely have we arrived00:07:50
and there's another alert
in an adjoining neighborhood.00:07:54
This time, it's a regime helicopter00:07:55
that has come to discharge
several barrels in the Sukari sector.00:08:06
Casualties are heavy.00:08:12
Four people killed outright,
and two of them are children.00:08:28
Although 500 meters from the impact,00:08:31
this man's body was cut in two
by the barrel's shrapnel.00:08:37
The scene we've just witnessed
can be repeated up to 15 times a day,00:08:40
depending on the frequency of army raids.00:08:43
In this neighborhood of Aleppo,
as in many others,00:08:45
intensive bombing
inevitably favors the jihadist cause.00:09:03
[Arabic spoken audio]00:09:06
It takes two hours.00:09:08
-To get to Arin?
-Yes.00:09:10
More than two hours.00:09:12
It's 30 kilometers at least.00:09:14
One of Abu Mohammad's men
has invited us to his wedding.00:09:18
Two hours to drive barely 30 kilometers.00:09:21
The many checkpoints
and the state of the road are to blame.00:09:42
The groom, 23, is wearing his best suit.00:09:47
The context is never entirely forgotten.00:09:49
The wedding song includes
a direct attack on Bashar al-Assad.00:09:58
As is traditional,
men and women celebrate separately.00:10:05
After the celebrations
he'll return to the jihad.00:10:10
Mujahideen all over Syria do the same.00:10:13
Life goes on,
whether or not there is bombing,00:10:18
whether or not
there are planes in the skies.00:10:23
Life goes on despite
Bashar al-Assad's regime.00:10:36
The scene is surrealistic.00:10:41
These men are all combatants.00:10:45
Outside, the war goes on.00:11:12
The firing, at first thought to be joyful,00:11:14
comes from a helicopter
overflying the sector.00:11:20
We leave the barn to try to film
the source of so much controversy:00:11:24
the helicopters that the regime
is so desperate to hide.00:11:29
Spotting them is very risky
and not at all easy.00:11:33
It is they who dropped
the barrels of death,00:11:35
here, shown in slow motion.00:11:45
The first drop,00:11:48
and a second soon after,
more than one kilometer away.00:12:01
Though quickly on the scene,00:12:02
the men from Civil Protection
can only survey the damage.00:12:20
[Arabic spoken audio]00:12:33
Three men have just lost their lives,
buried under the rubble of their house.00:12:42
This one was caught in the trap.00:12:44
The civil protection men
don't manage to revive him.00:12:47
[Arabic spoken audio]00:12:59
For three weeks now, they've bombed
Friday prayers at the mosque.00:13:03
Helicopters come and target it directly.00:13:08
Last time, it cost us 14 martyrs,
and this time, three martyrs.00:13:13
They only bomb civilians,
they kill women and children.00:13:22
It's the end of our first day in Syria.00:13:30
Allahu Akbar!00:13:36
[Arabic spoken audio]00:13:42
The following morning, in Idlib,
80 kilometers southwest of Aleppo,00:13:49
in a discreet mosque,00:13:51
an 11-year-old
is reciting verses from the Quran,00:13:53
inciting Muslims to wage holy war.00:14:00
After Allah, our creator, made a gift
to the mujahideen brothers00:14:04
gathered in Bilad al-Sham,00:14:06
they fell into line.00:14:08
After the fragmentation and division,00:14:12
he united them once more.00:14:15
This young boy is the son of the man
in the red and white keffiyeh.00:14:20
His name is Abu Tawfik,00:14:23
one of the most important
warlords in the region.00:14:27
A jihad veteran,
he learned his trade in Afghanistan,00:14:30
in Chechnya, and in the Balkans.00:14:32
Today, Abu Tawfik's stronghold
hosts a highly important meeting00:14:36
attended by all the chiefs
of jihadist factions in the region.00:14:40
The heads of numerous groups
that operate between Aleppo and Latakia00:14:44
all have the same objective,00:14:45
which is to establish Sharia law
in an Islamic caliphate.00:14:48
Listen to me.00:14:50
All clauses of the contract with God
must be respected.00:14:53
Otherwise,
there's no point to the contract!00:14:56
[Arabic spoken audio]00:15:00
High on the War Council's agenda
is the question,00:15:03
who will lead the next offensives
on the various fronts?00:15:06
-There's a problem with chiefs of factions
-Abu Tawfik pressures his men.00:15:09
The ones who have fought for four years
and haven't fallen in combat.00:15:15
Sometimes their decisions are good,
sometimes bad.00:15:20
They should make room for new mujahideen.00:15:23
Abu Mohammad, our guide, is also present.00:15:26
We must fight Bashar al-Assad
because he is a Shiite extremist00:15:32
and because he does not apply the Sharia,00:15:36
the law of our creator.00:15:37
These are two eminently
important reasons to fight him.00:15:43
Sitting by them
is a man who refuses to be filmed.00:15:46
He has a reason for that.00:15:48
There's a price on his head.00:15:50
No cameras.00:15:51
Okay, no worries.00:15:54
Abu Murad al-Masri, alias Abu Moaz00:15:57
is an Egyptian
with an impressive pedigree,00:16:00
wanted by the US State Department,00:16:02
captured in 2009
by the CIA in Afghanistan,00:16:05
and extradited to the USA and then Egypt.00:16:08
He was released following the revolution
that brought an end to Mubarak's reign.00:16:15
[Arabic spoken audio]00:16:18
The meeting ends.00:16:19
As well as being a feared warlord,
Abu Tawfik is also a political strategist.00:16:25
He never questions the influence
of the Islamic State in Syria.00:16:33
All Muslims want an Islamic state.00:16:39
To be honest,00:16:41
both West and East falsify
the so-called Islamic State to Muslims.00:16:47
They aim to divert Muslims from our goal00:16:50
of setting up an Islamic State.00:16:52
However, this situation won't last.00:16:56
This deception00:16:59
to put us off our true plan00:17:03
will not last, by the will of God.00:17:10
We're about to see for ourselves00:17:11
the determination
of these men in the field.00:17:37
Here, Abu Tawfik's combatants
and other jihadists00:17:39
are leaving to attack a position
held by soldiers faithful to the regime,00:17:43
in this case, Alawite militiamen.00:17:49
In this village,
just 30 kilometers from Latakia,00:17:52
neither side
will yield a meter to the other.00:18:01
[Arabic spoken audio]00:18:29
Scenes of unbelievable guerrilla violence.00:18:48
We soon find ourselves trapped00:18:49
amidst the burst of gunfire
from automatic weapons.00:19:22
One meter away from us,00:19:23
a bullet has just ricocheted
into this man's mouth.00:19:26
Look, he's been hit!00:19:31
Without medical assistance,
he dies before nightfall.00:19:38
We take advantage
of the short respite to slip away.00:19:41
The fighting continues
and becomes even fiercer.00:19:44
As for the village,
it finally falls several days later.00:20:16
At the wheel of a pickup,00:20:18
Abu Mohammad agrees to take us
to a secret place in Aleppo,00:20:21
where no camera has ever been before.00:20:35
Hey, boss!00:20:43
At first glance, this looks like
an ordinary mechanical workshop.00:20:50
This is where the Ansar al-Aqeeda group
and other factions of jihadists00:20:54
daily produce explosives,
bombs, and munitions.00:21:00
The man on the left with the red beard
is called Abu Layeyth.00:21:04
He's the chief of a brigade
close to Ansar al-Aqeeda,00:21:08
the group led by our guide
since this report began.00:21:18
We make a hole here and then stick it on.00:21:22
Do we solder the tube to the gun?00:21:24
That's what we usually did.00:21:27
The two cylinders are placed on top.00:21:30
Then we get something solid00:21:33
so that everything
leaves the gun properly.00:21:44
From dawn till dusk,
these jihadists make grenades,00:21:51
as well as bombs,00:21:59
and shells.00:22:04
In this room, gas cylinders are prepped
for fitting with explosive charges.00:22:08
No, not that way, guys.00:22:11
I'll tell you how.00:22:12
Fill it to the brim
and once you've done that,00:22:16
turn it over, put the top back on,
and store it over there.00:22:30
Each bottle is painstakingly cleaned up
with sand to get rid of the gas.00:22:40
Then, it is filled with powder.00:22:44
The bomb makers are equipped
with smock and mask,00:22:47
precautions bordering on the ridiculous.00:22:52
Where do these weapons come from?00:22:54
Who finances them?00:22:56
There's no way of knowing.00:23:01
The technicians
take a break for our camera,00:23:08
but the reality is rather different.00:23:09
The man on the right is a Syrian prisoner,
sentenced to death by the jihadis.00:23:14
Far from an isolated case.00:23:21
This entire war arsenal
might seem somewhat homemade00:23:27
but a trip to the front line
is enough to see00:23:29
that they enable the jihadists
to do a lot of damage to the enemy.00:23:35
We go with Abu Mohammad,
close to the port of Latakia,00:23:37
one of the most disputed front lines
in recent months.00:24:03
Here, several jihadist factions
have joined forces00:24:06
in a combined attempt
to bring down Syria's fourth city,00:24:09
through which Damascus gets fresh supplies
of weapons and essential goods.00:24:15
This combatant, barely 13,00:24:17
has just come too close
to one of the guns that's just been used.00:24:29
Abu Mohammad and Abu Layeyth
meet to coordinate operations.00:24:32
[Arabic spoken audio]00:24:38
We have advanced 516 meters, no, 519.00:24:44
On the opposite slope,
less than 500 meters away,00:24:47
a Shiite unit
has given jihadists cold sweats.00:24:54
Those facing us have guns00:25:00
and then…00:25:04
The interview is interrupted by fighting.00:25:06
[Arabic spoken audio]00:25:15
Allahu Akbar!00:25:25
Allahu Akbar!00:25:36
Abu Layeyth decides to break cover00:25:38
in a bid to assess the enemy positions
and rectify the aim of his guns.00:25:43
He is then joined by one of his men.00:25:52
My brother,
the explosives this guy supplied00:25:55
may God protect and keep you00:25:57
do not work, there's something wrong.00:26:00
They are slow to act,
they must be improved.00:26:08
It's an ideal position from which
to assess the damage to the other side.00:26:25
We await your signal, Abu Layeyth.00:26:38
Go, my brother, you can go.00:27:00
The target has been hit.00:27:01
Allahu Akbar.00:27:06
It's almost twilight.00:27:13
In this war of attrition,00:27:15
which has gone on for months
in the Latakia sector,00:27:17
the jihadists have forced their enemy back
a few dozen meters.00:27:42
These men praying together
have all been sentenced to death.00:27:51
As with Islamic State,
in the zones they control,00:27:53
the jihadis have their own courts
and their own prisons.00:27:59
This one, located
in a southern neighborhood of Aleppo,00:28:02
boasts around 50 inmates.00:28:05
Soldiers captured in combat,00:28:10
deserters from the regime,00:28:14
and sometimes civilians
suspected by the jihadis of espionage.00:28:20
Before being brought
before the Islamic Commission,00:28:22
prisoners have
an initial hearing in this office.00:28:28
This man is a deserter.00:28:29
[Arabic spoken audio]00:28:35
-Name?
-Mohammed.00:28:37
Surname?00:28:42
-Were you fleeing the regime?
-Yes!00:28:45
When did you arrive here?00:28:48
Three days ago.00:28:50
Give me the exact date.00:28:52
May 23 or 25, I think.00:28:54
How many officers like you have deserted?00:28:59
By asking these questions,00:29:00
the jihadist is trying to learn
as much as possible about the other side.00:29:05
In this war, as in others,
intelligence can be the key to victory.00:29:09
The interrogation is over.00:29:11
[Arabic spoken audio]00:29:15
In the office next door,
a civilian presides over the court.00:29:22
His knowledge of Muslim law,00:29:24
in other words, the Quranic texts
that govern the application of Sharia00:29:28
made him the ideal man for the job.00:29:32
In our religion00:29:34
the spies, those who somehow
feed information to the regime,00:29:39
are treated like heathen dogs00:29:42
and suffer the fate provided
for such crimes in the holy texts.00:29:48
A simple poster is a reminder
of the severity of the penalty.00:29:52
[Arabic spoken audio]00:29:57
The sanction for insulting God
and his prophet00:30:01
is to be treated as an infidel.00:30:04
If that person does not repent,
he will be stripped of his wife.00:30:09
Were he to commit his misdeed three times,00:30:11
the punishment is death by beheading.00:30:16
This officer of the Assad regime00:30:18
managed to eject
when his plane was hit by a missile.00:30:23
The jihadists accuse him
of multiple offenses00:30:26
of dropping barrel bombs
on civilian populations.00:30:29
He is facing decapitation.00:30:36
Prison is prison.00:30:38
There's nothing funny about it.00:30:40
Freedom, being outside,
is much better, it's true.00:30:44
How are you treated here?00:30:47
Well, thank God.00:30:55
It's impossible for us to find out
the real conditions of his detention.00:31:02
The only escape lies in prayer,
as barring a miracle,00:31:05
none of these men
will ever again see the light of day.00:31:11
In certain cases, prisoners can also
be used as bargaining chips,00:31:15
like this man on the right,
captured three months ago on the front,00:31:18
on the phone is his father,
a major in the regular army.00:31:22
With him, the jihadist on the left
will negotiate his son's release.00:31:27
Talk to your father.00:31:29
Hello?00:31:30
-My dear son…
-How are you?00:31:32
No, how are you?00:31:33
-Good.
-How is your health?00:31:36
I'm fine, why didn't you call with news?00:31:47
Negotiation
has been bogged down for weeks.00:31:52
The jihadists
will give him a clear ultimatum.00:31:55
That's when the prisoner understands
he may be living his final moments.00:32:02
Did you ask if we can exchange prisoners?00:32:05
-I talked to the lawyer.
-Okay.00:32:08
He asked me to give him00:32:11
the names of jihadist prisoners
held by the regime so we could exchange.00:32:18
The whole problem
revolves around the question of names.00:32:24
I'll call with news
as soon as I know more.00:32:30
We'll give you
a final deadline of one week.00:32:35
Have you done what I asked?
No, you haven't.00:32:41
Start worrying about your son.00:32:43
Oh, you are good people.00:32:46
It's not a matter of being good or not.00:32:49
We will apply
Allah's judgement to your son.00:32:52
I swear you are good poeple.00:32:54
Goodbye.00:32:57
[Arabic spoken audio]00:33:02
You've seen for yourself,
as God is my witness,00:33:05
we've called three times.00:33:07
You've been our prisoner for two months00:33:09
and they haven't contacted us up to now00:33:12
and your father is lying when he says00:33:16
he spoke to a lawyer
about swapping prisoners.00:33:19
It's obvious he's on the side
of the regime and that pig Assad.00:33:23
He comes very close00:33:27
to calling us gunmen, terrorists.00:33:30
Whatever happens to you
no longer depends on us.00:33:33
It's all down to him.00:33:35
You can talk to him again
tomorrow or the day after00:33:40
but he won't come through.00:33:42
We have mujahideen brothers
in prison there and we want them back.00:33:46
If that doesn't happen,
you'll be put to death.00:33:50
It's a reprieve for the prisoner00:33:53
but how long will that last?00:34:11
Since our arrival,00:34:12
we've been constantly surprised
by the harshness of this war.00:34:18
We were almost as surprised
by this totally unexpected slice of life.00:34:29
Brothers in arms,00:34:30
Abu Mohammed's men
are all here paddling in the water,00:34:33
bathing in this river.00:34:42
Contrary to what you might think,00:34:44
swimming, laughing, and having fun
aren't considered as haram, as a sin.00:34:52
That day, Abu Mohammad
decided to grant his men00:34:55
a few moments relaxation.00:34:57
As the prophet Muhammad said,
always keep some wood in handy.00:35:22
We'll soon be in Latakia, God willing.00:35:28
We're getting close.00:35:30
Soon we'll have won back
every neighborhood in Aleppo.00:35:34
I'm sorry.00:35:39
The day is coming to an end.00:35:44
In the Latakia sector, our guide decides
to inspect a rather special building site.00:35:53
The foreman,
sporting an Islamic State headband,00:35:55
is called Abu Assad.00:36:02
The visit begins.00:36:04
What we're about to see inside
will take our breath away.00:36:13
Built early in the summer,
six meters underground,00:36:16
this tunnel was dug
to take the enemy from the rear.00:36:21
After two kilometers, the enemy positions
are right above our heads.00:36:37
This colossal project is kept going
by 15 Syrian prisoners00:36:40
working 15-hour daily shifts,
night and day.00:36:44
We told them this:00:36:46
You're widening all this here00:36:48
but just think,00:36:49
just one centimeter is a lot of work,
easily 10 wheelbarrows.00:37:00
Appalling working conditions
for these slaves,00:37:03
armed with simple pneumatic drills,00:37:05
who have to put up
with more than 40-degree heat00:37:07
and a stifling atmosphere.00:37:11
When we questioned them,
you could see the fear in their faces.00:37:16
Before we were with the regime
which insults the prophet.00:37:21
Now, we are ready to blow everything up,00:37:24
to do suicide operations against them.00:37:28
If we don't fight them on the surface,
we'll do it from underneath00:37:32
If God wishes,
we shall kill them one by one.00:37:35
The infidels00:37:37
In this tactical war where each side
tries to catch the other unawares,00:37:41
this shows that the jihadists
are ready for anything.00:37:44
In the bowels of the earth,00:37:46
Abu Assad takes advantage
of the presence of foreign journalists00:37:49
to challenge us
on a subject dear to his heart.00:37:52
He is one of the few in the group
to speak openly of France as an enemy.00:37:56
The Kouachis defended the prophet00:37:58
may blessings of peace be upon him.00:38:02
They are our brothers,00:38:03
May God keep them in a place in paradise.00:38:08
They are our brothers.00:38:12
Our prophet is their prophet.00:38:13
Our God is their God.00:38:15
My Islam is their Islam00:38:17
and God will reunite us in paradise,00:38:23
in the great beyond.00:38:28
At the time of our visit,00:38:29
the prisoners had already dug
close to four kilometers of tunnels.00:38:33
The ultimate target was five.00:38:48
Almost one week at the heart of the jihad
and our amazement continued to grow.00:38:56
Just months ago,
this zone was controlled by Islamic State,00:39:01
but its men were routed
by other combatants,00:39:04
in particular the Free Syrian Army.00:39:08
We had heard that some Christians
remained in the sector.00:39:12
We brought this up with our guides00:39:14
and they brought us here
to the village of Al-Quniyah.00:39:19
Built in 1933,
its church is still standing.00:39:24
It's even regularly attended
by 230 Christian families00:39:28
from three neighboring villages.00:39:32
For the past 15 years,00:39:34
Father Francis,
an Italian, has officiated here.00:39:37
Recent events have changed nothing,00:39:39
even when the zone
was held by Islamic State.00:39:46
They said we could practise
our religion freely.00:39:50
We could pray, etc.00:39:52
We just had to avoid ringing bells00:39:55
and to take away
the religious signs outside the church.00:39:59
All the statues,
the statues of the Madonna,00:40:02
of Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony00:40:06
and we took away the crucifixes
because they are Christian signs00:40:12
and that's all, really.00:40:16
The visit continues,
still accompanied by the jihadists.00:40:23
Abu Layeyth and Abu Mohammad
sit down alongside the priest00:40:26
and are very attentive to our interview.00:40:31
It's hard to know
if he was speaking under duress or not,00:40:34
but Father Francis showed an unexpected
understanding of the Islamic State.00:40:42
The term extremism00:40:46
is a very, very broad concept.00:40:54
The mass media
tend to exaggerate the problem.00:40:58
When the Islamic State was here,00:41:07
that was a good time for us.00:41:13
A period of peace and tranquility00:41:18
because all the killers,
all the assassins,00:41:23
all the thugs and gangsters
were chased away.00:41:26
We could finally sleep peacefully
with our doors open.00:41:31
It really was a lovely period.00:41:37
As I told you earlier,00:41:42
we had a very respectful relationship.00:41:46
It would seem
that the rules haven't changed00:41:48
since the arrival
of Abu Mohammed's jihadists00:41:51
and the other factions.00:41:53
Even for the Jizya,00:41:54
the mandatory tax imposed on non-Muslims,
they showed quite astonishing indulgence.00:41:59
What happens about Jizya?00:42:02
It's a tax for non-Muslims.00:42:06
Those who can pay, pay.00:42:08
Those who can't are exempt.00:42:29
Our guide politely invited us
to shoot the following sequence.00:42:33
We are back on the front line.00:42:37
In this people-carrier
are women and children who all armed.00:42:45
The jihadists made it a point of honor
that we filmed this sequence.00:42:49
They are quite aware
that these images are exceptional.00:42:58
This child, barely 12 years old
and carrying a heavy weapon,00:43:02
struggles to pose for the camera.00:43:04
[Arabic spoken audio]00:43:09
Allahu Akbar!00:43:11
These women are learning to fight.00:43:13
Their actions are still very uncertain.00:43:35
The wife of Abu Mohammad,
seen here on the left,00:43:38
has set up her own cell,
Qaedat al-Jihad, the jihad base,00:43:42
though she is seven months pregnant.00:43:46
Both bomb-making and weapons-handling
skills are learned in a practical setting.00:43:51
To avoid bullets, hide behind the mound.00:43:54
Then put on the safety catch.00:43:57
If you panic,
you don't kill each other.00:44:03
[Arabic spoken audio]00:44:10
Allahu Akbar!00:44:12
Allahu Akbar!00:44:14
Allahu Akbar!00:44:21
On the sixth day of our voyage
into the heart of the jihadi world,00:44:24
Abu Mohammad wants to show us
something he feels strongly,00:44:28
that jihad is a family affair.00:44:31
He enjoys the moment
playing with his nine-month-old son,00:44:34
though perhaps not quite
the kind of games we are used to.00:44:45
The setting for the women's interview
is carefully composed.00:44:49
No, I'm not afraid.00:44:51
When I'm at home with my son,
they drop barell bombs.00:44:54
When I'm at the market with my son,
bombs and missiles rain down on us.00:44:59
Here we can defend ourselves
and retaliate when we're shot at.00:45:03
If we are to die, it will be with dignity.00:45:06
The situation is clear,
they strike, so do we.00:45:08
I am not scared for my son,
if death comes, then it will come.00:45:13
Wherever we find ourselves,
we will die anyway.00:45:19
Abu Layeyth's wife is here too.00:45:23
A stolen image of an intimacy
never normally shown.00:45:27
What she doesn't know
is that within 48 hours,00:45:30
her husband will no longer
be of this world.00:45:42
[Arab spoken audio]00:45:50
One of the challenges facing the jihadists
is spotting the enemy,00:45:53
who are often invisible.00:45:56
To this end,
they've invested in a new device.00:46:02
In fact, they have just taken delivery
of several drones.00:46:08
One of their men
has just brought them back from Europe.00:46:11
This program offers several options.00:46:20
This device does indeed
have several functions.00:46:25
It enables them
to drop small explosive charges00:46:28
but also to scrutinize
the regime's positions and its aircraft.00:46:34
[Arabic spoken audio]00:46:41
You see, the drone is here.00:46:44
This is our current position.00:46:46
Here is where we bombed them yesterday.00:46:51
The reconnaissance is done.00:46:55
Now, the jihadists will temporarily
abandon this part of the front00:46:58
as a crucial battle awaits them elsewhere.00:47:09
For several weeks,00:47:10
the jihadists have been stuck
in Al-Fureikha,00:47:13
a small town 70 kilometers from Latakia.00:47:18
The regime has pulled out all the stops,00:47:20
sending the Air Force on bombing raids
and reinforcing numbers on the ground.00:47:25
This tower in the background
is the problem.00:47:28
Inside, there are army snipers.00:47:30
They've devised a plan to capture it.00:47:37
Aleppo, in the jihadi headquarters.00:47:46
The bomb makers have prepared
a stock of shells00:47:49
ready to be sent to the front.00:47:58
Abu Layeyth coordinates all operations,00:48:01
but we can feel
that there is something special in store.00:48:08
The Emir reveals his strategy00:48:09
for capturing
the tower occupied by snipers.00:48:13
His idea is to gain access
and open fire on the enemy's soldiers.00:48:19
If this doesn't work, he has a plan B,00:48:23
to blow himself up.00:48:26
How do you justify the fact that,
as chief,00:48:30
you and no one else
will wear the belt of explosives?00:48:34
How exactly do you feel about that?00:48:37
God is almighty00:48:41
and welcomes our martyrs.00:48:46
Our duty is difficult.00:48:49
Pigs and heathens
are prospering in our country,00:48:52
on our lands.00:48:54
By God, by God, by God,00:48:58
we have just this belt
with which to fight them.00:49:02
Warriors have been trained
in the land of Sham, Syria.00:49:08
If God wishes, I shall be the first.00:49:12
Who will come with me?
We are all brothers here.00:49:17
If we do it tonight,00:49:19
who will come with me
to lead this operation00:49:24
against the regime?00:49:27
God willing, we will gain access.00:49:34
For this operation, for this operation,00:49:38
for this operation, God willing…00:49:44
What's the matter, Islam?00:49:49
-Mohammed, are you ready?
-Yes, God willing.00:49:51
-Takbir!
-Allahu Akbar!00:49:53
-Takbir!
-Allahu Akbar!00:49:56
Who still wants to go, youngsters?00:50:00
Faced with their chief and our camera,
everyone volunteers,00:50:04
even the prisoner.00:50:08
The fateful hour draws near.00:50:11
Some find it hard to hold back the tears.00:50:34
A final prayer together.00:50:52
Abu Layeyth goes off on his own
for a long while.00:51:13
Then, comes the time for farewells.00:51:27
I am proud of you,
prouder than of my own brother.00:51:34
Before, you were with the infidels00:51:36
and now you are on the right path.00:51:39
That's why you must prepare
to join me soon.00:51:42
God willing.00:51:43
I am ready.00:51:44
Are you ready?00:51:49
Goodbye, everybody.00:51:51
-Takbir!
-Allahu Akbar!00:51:53
-Takbir!
-Allahu Akbar!00:51:55
-Takbir!
-Allahu Akbar!00:52:00
Chief!00:52:02
Chief.00:52:15
I swore to Almighty God.00:52:18
If you should see
our prophet Muhammad up there,00:52:22
say hello from me.00:52:24
-Allahu Akbar!
-Allahu Akbar!00:52:26
-Allahu Akbar!
-Allahu Akbar!00:52:28
-Allahu Akbar!
-Allahu Akbar!00:52:36
Goodbye, everybody.00:52:44
The next morning at dawn.00:52:53
Posted at the entrance to the village,
one of the jihadist factions00:52:56
opens fire on the enemy
to create a diversion.00:53:20
This is the final picture of Abu Layeyth,00:53:23
less than five minutes
before he enters the building00:53:25
where the snipers are stationed.00:53:39
The suicide bomber
has just entered the tower.00:53:42
We take up position
in the building opposite.00:53:45
Allahu Akbar!00:53:52
[Arabic spoken audio]00:53:56
-Allahu Akbar!
-Allahu Akbar!00:53:57
-Allahu Akbar!
-Allahu Akbar!00:54:01
Allahu Akbar!00:54:05
Finally, he opens fire.00:54:06
[Arabic spoken audio]00:54:12
Before being hit by a bullet himself.00:54:16
-Allahu Akbar!
-Allahu Akbar!00:54:20
Allahu Akbar!00:54:22
Abu Layeyth resorted to plan B.00:54:34
The way is now clear
for the jihadists to advance on the tower.00:54:41
What we find there is a vision of horror.00:54:44
[Arabic spoken audio]00:54:57
You see what happens to Bashar's pigs?00:54:59
-That's what'll happen to Bashar too!
-Allahu Akbar!00:55:06
Around 20 bodies lie scattered
at the foot of the tower.00:55:11
We decide to turn off the camera.00:55:20
Aleppo, the final day of our tour.00:55:24
In the many neighborhoods
that have fallen to the fundamentalists,00:55:27
their flag is flying almost everywhere.00:55:32
The first victims of this conflict00:55:34
that has gone on for more than four years
are the children,00:55:37
abandoned to the perils of war,
the bombs, and the chaos.00:55:43
Each day, this ten-year-old boy
is doomed to wander the streets00:55:46
looking for food and reusable waste.00:55:51
The day's harvest is meager
but losing hope isn't an option.00:55:57
People are dying one after the other.00:56:00
I gather bits of bread to live on.00:56:04
We have nothing to eat every other day.00:56:08
I leave my parents alone at home
and I miss them…00:56:13
From the beginning of the revolt
against the regime in March 2011,00:56:17
more than 220,000 people
have died in Syria,00:56:21
one-third of them civilians,
and 12,000 of them children.Description:
There are several thousand fighters grouped into factions to defend the ideals. We go with a handheld camera to the heart of the front lines of a holy war, one of the most worrying subjects on a global scale. A new documentary by Farouk Atig and Yacine Benrabia.
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