VIIMares

Ambush is inevitable. A day's travel may be completely undone by a tactical retreat; this had occurred twice already and, in both engagements, the Ghurabaa retreat was more taxing upon the Kurds than the initial clashes. Ghurabaa rear-guard action was distinctly cunning and ferocious as men volunteered to supplement the deadly traps with their own ambushes though it often costed their lives. The Ghurabaa refined their skills at each encounter, but now they were being pursued. The mountainous terrain of Rawanduz province forced Commander Abu Khalid to lead his trucks back onto strategic roads time and time again, making them easy to track often for miles on end. Clashes broke out as Khalid struggled to avoid direct engagement. He was being consistently harassed by Kurdish infantry and light armored vehicles on par with his own armored trucks, but this was followed up by a much larger Kurdish battalion. He left with his lighter, faster expedition as the main Ghurabaa force was amassing near Mosul. Tanks and artillery were being gathered from secured regions of Iraq for the final pacification of the rebel Kurds, but they were spread far and slow moving. For now, he was on his own. The Kurdish lines had been disrupted by his incursion and according to the documents he captured at the onset of their clashes, the KCIF was in the middle of a complete readjustment with nearly all their forces maneuvering to final battle positions before the coming Ghurabaa assault. It became apparent from documentation that the Kurds had spies in Mosul and they had been watching the Ghurabaa build-up which led them to believe they had more time to prepare. Khalid's blitz threw the KCIF into disarray, and panic was finding a comfortable home in their hearts. The Ghurabaa now arrived at new estimations on the strength of the Kurdish forces, and Commander Khalid thought to himself, as he wiped some sweat off of his brow "We shouldn't have even made it this far." But how much further did Allah intend him to go? Finally, a substantial Kurdish force was upon them and if the Ghurabaa blitz continued to press on, surely, they would find themselves in yet another ambush and facing an impossible fight. He led a swift veer of the column off the main road and deep into the rugged hilly countryside. The group at last took defensive positions while their last VBIED vehicle was camouflaged with brush and moved away from the main force for possible use at which point it was hoped to do some damage even if the battle was lost. The terrain would make it difficult for the Kurdish heavy equipment to move, but it also meant there would be no retreat this time. "We leave it in your hands, Ya Rabb." Khalid prayed as the evening set in. He ordered his men to gather about him. He peered into the eyes of his soldiers now encompassing him as he turned his head about. The men waited in anticipation for some words of guidance to ease their hearts. Whether in word or by action, he never failed to inspire them and so he began, "God Almighty said, 'Truly God has purchased from the believers their souls and their wealth in exchange for the Gardens being theirs. They fight in the way of God, killing and being killed.' O, you who say you believe! Prepare yourself for glory! For what awaits us is but one of two options: Victory over the enemy or victory over this world and surely martydom is greater than any military objective. Recall how Hisham bin 'Amir al-Ansari, may God be pleased with him, carried himself between two rows of a larger enemy force and be not afraid to plunge yourself into the fighting. It is by your immersion into the enemy ranks that they are terrorized, and the Muslims find benefit. For it is both for the believer and the infidel to suffer the trials of worldly life, but only the believer attains reward and reprieve of suffering in the life Hereafter. I echo the words of Abu Hurayra, may God be pleased with him, on the authority of our blessed Prophet, may God's blessing and peace be upon him, 'Among those who live the best life is a man who clings to the reins of his horse in the cause of God, who hastens to his saddle when he hears a voice screaming in horror and flies toward it, expectantly seeking to kill or die.' So rush toward the rewards of the martyr, the forebearing, and the righteous mujahideen! Our meeting place is in eternity! Takbir!" The whole group roared, "Allahuakbar!!!" Within the hour, the first wave of the enemy descended upon them. Small arms fire tore through the tranquil countryside as bullets crashed into the hills and vehicles stationed on both sides. Immediately, both Ghurabaa and Kurdish fighters alike fell lifeless to the whizzing and instant thump of rounds hitting the body. Several Ghurabaa, crying out to God, charged toward the KCIF positions with guns blazing. Kurdish snipers began picking them off, but the hills and hail of gunfire opened opportunities for several Ghurabaa to slip through. Lead Kurdish squads looked in horror as suicidal fighters fell upon them, taking out 3, and 5 Kurds sharing cover before breathing their last. One of the Ghurbaa was equipped with a bomb-laden vest. 10 Kurdish soldiers were taken off the battlefield in an instant. The violent flash and boom of the explosion, giving the Ghurabaa troops a critical morale boost. The fighting has only just begun.

"We've crossed into hostile territory." A two-way radio cracks to life as the convoy of armored pick-up trucks blows a cloud of dust behind it. "Remember your orders. Do not stop until we pass the battlefield." Commander Abu Khalid al-Mosuli led the speeding column through the desert, dead center of the red circle he had drawn on his map. According to his best estimations, this area encompassed the enemy battle-line somewhere within. As the force moved forward, a bullet ricochets off the armored grill of the lead truck. In unison the monotonous cacophony of engines is broken by 50 cal gunfire as several bed-mounted machine guns open up in the vicinity of the shooter. Several other trucks are hit from the left flank. Potshots. And more 50 cal fire. Silence. "Maintain your speed. Do NOT take your foot off the.." An explosion rocks the column as a flurry of rocket-fire commences, immediately disabling one of the lead vehicles which causes the column to bottle-neck and finally stop to regain its bearings. Encountering heavy resistance sooner than expected, a scout unit scrambled to identify the hasty fortifications erected by a Kurdish attack group. The remaining Kurdish forces from the beginning of conflict nearly 2 years earlier had reconstituted themselves into "the Kurdish counter-insurgency force [KCIF]" Despite Iraqi Kurdistan's official surrender, the group has launched retaliation behind Ghurabaa lines in what is officially the Caliphate's territory, and they seem to have some serious backing. Still, while the Kurdish representatives swear they have no ties to this resistance, the Ghurabaa rank-and-file all seem to recognize that compromising with a secular state in terms of governing a hostile region was a critical error that the Caliph's Committee of Delegates itself had masterminded. In fact, this body seems increasingly to most, to be trying to move the Caliphate toward the model of a more conventional nation-state much to the ire of the religious hard-liners. Yet, to add to their troubles, Ghurabaa media suffered a serious setback when a coordinated shutdown of internet access and communications was initiated in hostile Baghdad with the aid of Kurdish saboteurs before the onset of this expanded conflict. The Caliphate has been in near information blackout to the outside world, all the while Caliph Abu Musa had been whisked away to undisclosed locations as the internal security situation deteriorated, providing only token unscheduled appearances, prerecorded audio releases, and leaving much of the governing to the very Delegated Committee that seemingly orchestrated this turmoil. As they exercised power in increasing excess, the military was busy trying to achieve peace through victory for the only Muslim state on earth.. Ghurabaa scout forces fired a hail of tracer rounds at the enemy strongpoint. "Istishadi." Commander Abu Khalid gave the simple order that everyone immediately understood. Suddenly, every radio in the column seemed to scream in unison, "ALLAHUAKBAR!!" An armored vehicle broke from the group and dashed full speed in the direction of the Kurdish fortified positions. Every Ghurabaa gun erupted with covering fire as the VBIED weaved between rocket explosions and brushed off desperate Kurdish small arms fire. The armored car penetrated the Kurdish fort, barreling into their katyusha rocket position, the driver reciting his declaration of faith over and over until the perfect moment came to activate the detonator. "..and Muhammad is the Messanger of God.." The explosion devoured the small fortification and all those in the immediate vicinity. Several KCIF soldiers who had gotten far enough to survive the blast, were descended upon by the dauntless mujahideen of the Ghurabaa force. One who had been a sniper was now limping helplessly in the opposite direction of the Ghurabaa. Bullets ripped through his abdomen as he let out a final cry and dropped dead into the hot sand. In only moments the position was overrun. Everything from dropped weapons, to personal notes, maps, and cash was looted by the Ghurabaa and they soon pressed on into the desert. Commander Abu Khalid gauged their progress on his map as the columned set off again, reminding himself, "We are not on a seek-and-destroy mission. If we can blitz out of this" Tracing his red circle on the map, "then we will have the murtadeen surrounded." And he was determined to see it through, personally.

Kurdistan Capitulates! Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. Glad tidings! The leader of the Kurdish forces has surrendered in the name of his people, and all of Kurdistan in Iraq has been annexed by the Khilafa of all Muslims! Months of ruthless fighting and countless martyrs given joyously to jihad, has finally born fruit to our Caliphate. Indeed, none can resist what Allah azzawajal has decreed and the Khilafa continues to expand over the lands once dominated by servants of the Shaytan. We are willing to pay the cost of fire and blood to take jihad anywhere, to anyone, at any time in the pursuit of Allah's pleasure and seeking a victory that will grant us Jannah. While the surrender has not officially been accepted by the Khalifa Al-Quraishi, on issue that the surrender must be unconditional and PM Masour has raised some objections, the region is considered a part of our dominion. Regardless, forces of the Caliphate press forward on direct order from the Khalifa Al-Quraishi to engage any continued resistance and allow defeated forces passage out of Iraq. Rumors abound that the surrender may be laced with some deceptions, but our forces are ever vigilant and happy to die at a moment's notice. Can our enemies say the same? Allahu akbar!

Muslim State Special Report Explosion in Baghdad Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. Special Intro Alhamdulillah! Reports of a massive explosion rocking the capital of taghut in Iraq, Baghdad, are flooding all intelligence channels. Young lions of the Asad al-Tawhid, among the first to give bay'ah to our Khalifah, have claimed responsibility for the strike in the heart of the beast! May the enemies of Allah know that they have no safe haven, they will be granted no respite, their most beloved and secured possessions will be ripped from them until Allah azzawajal declares His satisfaction with their defeat. O Muslims, remember your religion! Rise against these tawagheet rulers and do not oppose the army of Allah, as you see even your towers of iron and concrete crumble like castles of sand, so to will His enemies be brought low. And He sends us upon you like thieves in the night! The flames have only just begun and will overtake you Baghdad! Indeed, all that we bring to bear against you will be made evident soon, and this is but a foretaste of the Hellfire! This fight has only just begun. The Khilafa wishes to honor the glorious martyrdom of this brave lion of tawheed who struck fear into the heart of the apostates with a heavenly roar. Ali Mohammad-Jibril age 24, May Allah grant him in Jannatul Firdaus.

The Stage is Set Returning to his Tal Afar clandestine command center, and in regular form, Caliphate Committee Delegates President Al-Babili rinses dried blood off his brow before enter the meeting room. A Babylonian aide rushes up to him, "Sir, our offensive against the Kurds.." Al-Babili interrupts, "Was a resounding success. I know, I was there." He continues toward General al-Iraqi, leaving the stunned and confused aide standing alone. General al-Iraqi salutes him, "Sir. All the blood and treasure we poured into this operation has paid off. Taking Kurkuk was a huge surprise which left the Kurdish forces of Sulaymaniyah isolated. The offensive into Sulaymaniyah has brought all their artifacts into our possession. Congratulations." Al-Babili replies, "Yes, but there remains quite a bit of a mess for us to clean up. We need to justify this unsanctioned offensive to Khalifa Al-Quraishi, we need to conclude this now pointless war with the Kurds.. and one last thing, I need the Khilafa fanboys in Baghdad on the line, Asad al-Tawhid. We need a cover up." ... Baghdad was on high alert following its attack on the Caliphate with the complete loss of a helicopter along with its crew, and now a major disruption in the City Center that needed to be investigated. Eye-witnesses and police forces were at the scene of destruction to determine what exactly caused such damage. While, most citizens had been ordered in-doors at the launch of the anti-Ghurabaa air raid, several essential personnel had been present and claimed something fell from the sky. The wildest claims described reptilian beasts moving within the smoke and rubble following the event. At that moment, a van approached. It had after-market police sirens attached to its top and crude government decals along its side. It was able to approach the police zone undisturbed before accelerating at high speed into the small crowd of witnesses and police. "ALLAH GRANT VICTORY TO THE KHILAFA. JUDGEMENT UPON BAGHDAD! ALLAHU AKBARRR!" A man screamed from the driverside window as the van plowed forward before a massive explosion rocked the entire city. Bodies were eviscerated and nearby buildings partially demolished in a blinding flash. All evidence of what had happened here only a short time prior would be relegated to fringe conspiracy blogs, as the news of a "terrorist attack" by proxies of the Muslim State, Asad al-Tawhid, stole the headlines in Baghdad. ... The Caliphate Committee of Delegates coordinated a high-profile transport to the city of Erbil with armed escort. The city was by now firmly under the Caliphate's control, but every measure was taken by the Committee to see that this plan went off without a hitch. The armored convoy arrived at the now abandoned Kurdish Regional Governorate building. A Committee member radioed in to a mysterious figure listening on the other end, "V.I.P. has arrived. Stage is set." They exit the vehicles as a well-dressed man is rushed into the doors of the building. Only after this point do the cameras begin rolling. Had the regular mujahideen, who fought on the ground, caught wind of what was taking place, they surely would have stormed Erbil again. Suddenly, the balcony doors open for the first time since Sheik Iklas announced the fall of the city. A familiar man approaches, but he is flanked by unfamiliar faces. He looks back for a moment, and one of the men nods to him assuredly. Prime Minister Masour appears. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Valiant people of the Kurdish nation, and lions of the Ghurabaa Caliphate. Over these passed several weeks, I have been a prisoner of war following the capture of our capital by the victorious mujahideen. I have seen and heard of the many battles that have taken place and I praise you all for your faithfulness, each to that which you believe. But, it is time we face facts. I tell you, my dear Kurdistan, that the Caliphate is bringing order, re-establishing civilization, and building a better world. We should find our place in that better world which we know these lands have groaned for, only too long. So today, I ask you all to stand with me again with the same resilience you showed the whole world in war- only this time, for peace. With this, I declare as the legitimately elected head of the Kurdish nation, our official surrender to the Caliphate and an immediate cessation of hostilities against them. I will be addressing you in the coming days regarding the new course of our nation. Thank you. God bless you. And long live the Caliphate and Kurdistan side by side!" As per their private agreement, the Kurdish petroleum black market that operates along the regional borders of Turkey and Syria, has been handed over to Ghurabaa control, increasing its range and scope to provide a steady and unofficial flow of cash into the Caliphate's coffers. Al-Babili, the mastermind behind this agreement, gambled that this along with the peace deal would suffice as an effective bribe to the Khalifa, Abu Musa Al-Quraishi, in response to the unsanctioned attack on Kurdish Sulaymaniyah with its losses of yet more veteran mujahideen.

Dragon Over Baghdad Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. Hundreds of alleged eye-witnesses have shared multiple angles of what appeared to be a dragon stalking the skies over Baghdad. The city is still under the firm hold of the local taghut government, and the apparition heralded the first launch of Baghdad helicopter attacks upon Caliphate positions near Tigrit. Intelligence reports reveal that 1 Baghdad helicopter was lost in the incursion, though it is not clear if this was due to mujahideen anti-air defence or something else. The official stance of the Ghurbaa Caliphate is that this is yet another sign of the nearing Apocalypse which is to come, and the conquest of Baghdad more specifically. Meanwhile, the war against the Kurds rages on, with many instances of heroism by our lions sending hundreds of murtad soldiers to hell. We place our hope in Allah azzawajal that this operation will come to a swift conclusion so that we can continue the cleansing of Iraq and all dar al-Islam.

Fog of War The war against the Kurds was considered by most to be a sideshow to the Ghurabaa main advance toward Baghdad, but as weeks and months pass, the Kurdish campaign continues with no end in sight and the goal of Baghdad drifts further away. It was becoming evident to Sheik Iklas that the hard fought triumphs against the Kurds were bogging down the jihad that began as a fiery blitz across Iraq. And despite the propaganda videos, losses upon the cream of their mujahideen were heavy. Even the ‘spear tip’ of their forces, LION-1, had been reduced to suicidal shock troops quickly being bled dry in the Kurdish theatre of war, though these efforts had been achieving their desired effect of decimating the Kurdish mid-level officer core which diminished the threat of Kurdish coordinated assaults against the Caliphate in the long term. ... In the Ghurabaa stronghold of Tal Afar, high command of the political and military structure hold yet another meeting, this time discussing the state of the Kurdish front. Yet to arrive, Sheik Iklas prostrates himself in prayer “Glory to my Lord, Most High.” When he completes Salah, an assistant hands him his briefcase of documents and he makes his way to the meeting. His Shariah Council was hampered with the direct set up of local Islamic courts & correcting broad jurisprudence along Shariah Law often in remote and recently captured regions hardly assimilated to a Muslim state. It was the Shura Council now advising the Khalifa directly and the new Caliphate Committee of Delegates was the planning, supervisory and execution-of-order body. These were staffed by hundreds of men claiming to have government and finance credentials dating back to a Babylonian regime. This was the real potency behind Ghurabaa’s rise- a superb organizational structure handed to them on a platter by these mysterious ‘Babylonians’. It was these whom Iklas was to meet with soon. He enters in the midst of a discussion led by the President of the Committee, Bilal al-Babili. “Hundreds of jihad-oriented insurgencies and so-called Islamic Empires have come and gone for generations. Indeed, all of them shared aspirations to establish the Khilafa, which we have achieved in mere months, but none have had the command structure, the financial network and Sunnah of pure Islam in faith and practice.” Sheik Iklas added, “They also didn’t have our mujahideen.” President Babili, “Welcome to the discussion brother al-Iklas. Assalamualaikum.” Sheik Iklas responds, “Wa alaikum Salam. I am glad to finally meet with you face to face. You have proven to be quite the elusive man, despite the reach of your office within the Caliphate. I now find myself in a web of red-tape which your office seems to be producing at a growing pace.” President Bilal retorts, “You’ll have you chance to speak at length. I was about to unveil my- our latest op. That is, Operation Manchuria, the Caliphate’s bold knock-out strike against the taghut Kurds, using their own loyalty to ethnic self-governance against them. We have turned Prime Minister Masour. He is going to return as their leader with all the trappings of nationalism, yet pledge loyalty to us. Er.. to the Khalifa, effectively pacifying the Kurdish resistance.” Sheik Iklas resisted, “How is this justifiable under the Prophetic Method? The Kurds must capitulate to Islam and become full subjects of the Khilafa or face the sword. Under your proposed plan they would effectively continue on as a semi-autonomous region!” Babili “Operation Manchuria is the only guarantee that our war effort will not dissolve into an insurgency on the back foot. There are no two ways about it. The Prime Minister is offering his full unconditional cooperation, do you want to be the one to oppose it?” Iklas, “It was in response to your own advisors that we pulled back from the Iraqi theatre to open a front with the Kurds and look at the losses we have sustained! How can we trust your latest proposal, and hear your counsel in light of this blunder?” Babili “Everything has been unveiled according to plan. Had you been here at the start of this meeting you would have heard this in my opening statement. Perhaps, things have moved too quickly for you Iklas, but there is a chain of command now and you’re a few links further down than you think. Next time I’d try not to be late.” Iklas, “You planned these losses..” He pauses as he makes a realization, “I departed for this meeting immediately after Salah. Come to think of it, I have not seen one of you excuse yourselves for prayer since I’ve met you.” Babili, “That is all we have for today.. Sheik.. this meeting is finished. We have jihad to attend to.” ... Sheik Iklas storms out of the meeting. But, Babili continues his discussion with the Committee Delegates, Jihad Command and representatives of the Shura Council late into the evening. Babili, “Have we tracked the artifacts yet?” General Isa al-Iraqi responds, “The Kurds have been transporting them just out of reach of our forces every time we advance. The Museum of Erbil was already ransacked by the time we launched our offensive. Looked like someone flew in and took a flame thrower to the upper level. Inexplicable damage. They took as much care of their collection as of their own Government.” Babili grinned almost menacingly, and for a moment his parted lips seemed to reveal fangs rather than teeth. “I have what I need from Erbil Museum. As for the elusiveness of the artifacts, perhaps it is for the best. The mujahideen have a tendency to destroy ‘idolatrous’ artifacts. So we are sparing no expense on good intel. If your troops are nearing suspected locations of the artifacts, hold them back. As always, consider this matter classified.” General Isa al-Iraqi salutes, “Yes, sir.” Babili, addresses the rest of the men in attendance, “The upstarts must be kept busy with the business of maintaining the Caliphate. We’ve given them the infrastructure, an impeccable business model, with financial backing. By naming Quraishi as Khalifa we have filled his vacancy with a commander we can command. And Iklas with his studious, deliberating Shariah Council can work out their utopia on the ground while we oversee it all from the clouds.”

Treaty with the Christians Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. The Shariah Council under the direction of Khalifa al-Quraishi has summoned representatives of the various major Christian sects living under the Caliphate's rule to the Palace of Khilafa in Mosul. The Christians were invited to Islam with a recitation of the Quran and a declaration that the perfection of their religion has come in the revelation to Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. For those who declined this invitation, terms were given in accordance with Shariah Law for a peaceful continuity of the Christian communities within the Caliphate. Any new construction of Christian Churches or designation of religious sites has been forbidden, along with Christian proselytization and public preaching. The use of wine in Christian services was permitted under strict controls that restricts the distribution of alcohol off of the Church grounds, away from view of the public, and barred from Muslims. Various Protestant missionary efforts had been present in the region before the war, who long since left, are now permanently banned from any current or future dominions of the Caliphate. Acceptance of the required jizya tax in exchange for guaranteed protection from harm, or religious persecution. By penning their names to the dhimma Treaty, Christian leaders give allegiance to the Khilafa and promise to abide by its laws and the clear parameters of this agreement. Catholic Christian Church of the Khilafa: dhimma Orthodox Christian Church of the Khilafa: dhimma Protestant Christian churches of the Khilafa: dhimma (several fringe Christian sects have refused dhimmitude and have been peacefully banished) It is also noted that several Christians have begun their conversion to Islam and thus have become exempt from this dhimma treaty.

"OPERATIONS IN DAR AL-HARB" Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. [New video release by Muslim State Digital Media, keeping the world informed that the Caliphate continues its jihad deep into Iraq.] [The voice of Sheik Iklas] "They who do not serve their Ummah, We will serve them justice. They who do not stand for truth We will lay them down. They who do not fear Allah, Will fear our mujahideen!" [The sound of a lion's roar followed by an explosion opens the scene of combat against Kurdish forces in Kirkuk. A glimpse of a wide-eyed enemy soldier fades to black as the cracking of an automatic rifle sounds. The voice of the American 'Mujahid Mack' narrates..] "The 'lion' is a man who comes to the field of battle with no cover but the shirt on his back. With the Paradise ahead, his family behind and Allah above, he knows no concept of retreat. And at the cost of an ounce of sweat and pocket change for a bullet, he sends his enemies to Hell. Who can bare to face an army of such men? Indeed, they could not halt our advance, and now a growling is heard at there very doorstep." [Flashing video images of rapid gunfire and RPG's exploding against fort walls. Each image appearing closer and closer to the defenses, and their eventual infiltration by Ghurabaa fighters, ending with the unsettling sound of a defender gargling presumably his own blood. Jihadi chanting accompanies the images] "See how the cowardly forces of the taghut army break against the rock of our jihad. Our lions lay in ambush outside of Kurdish-occupied Kirkuk. As a convoy arrives to scout for our beloved mujahideen, they are unprepared for what awaits them..." "Surrender or fall Kurkuk! Surrender or fall!" "Behold, the Ghurabaa mujahideen overrun another murtad garrison, this time in Kurkuk, with overwhelming firepower and will to fight. Real men with fear only in the Most High, throw themselves into the fray, laying waste to the hopeless city defenses. The histories repeat themselves, as they are written by the same hand of Allah azzaajal: Hundreds of men hoisting the black flag of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, route an army of thousands who flee like whimpering dogs from imminent death." "How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:249)

Sunnis Expelled from Kurdistan Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. Thousands of Sunnis have come under the tyranny of the Kurds in Northern Iraq. Under the pretense of cleansing their lands of 'Muslim State sympathizers', countless Sunni Muslim men are imprisoned in temporary prison camps. Often run and guarded by openly Shia or non-believing Kurdish troops, many horror stories of torture and lack of food have already reached our ears. To add to the pain of our Muslim brothers, their women and children have been expelled en masse from the region with no clear destination nor security provided by these secular dogs. The Caliphate opens its arms to these innocents with the promise that we will liberate our brothers, their husbands and fathers from the taghut prisons. Wallahi. We tell you, the tears you cry will be surpassed by the blood we draw from your oppressors. Take note of the dust beneath your tired feet, for this is what will be left of their homes. They tear at your hearts with their wicked pride, how do you think we will repay them? Caliphate outlying territories are already experiencing a gradual swell of disgruntled yet grateful Sunni families who wish to contribute to the effort against the forces of taghut. Surely, this too serves the plan of Allah for the victory of His Khilafa. "And (recall) when the disbelievers were conspiring against you to hold you as a captive, or to kill you, or to expel you. They were planning, and Allah was planning, and Allah is the best planner." Surah Al-Anfal 8:30

1442 Hijri Dragons in the Lion's Den Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. The Khilafa welcomes representatives from the Dragonisians of Asia, the first of all the world governments to recognize the establishment of the Muslim State. The visit has effectively silenced the naysayers, mostly festering in Baghdad and some abroad who stubbornly question the legitimacy of the only genuinely Shariah-guided country in the world. Our existence cannot be denied just as our jihad cannot be defeated. Our Khalifa wisely invites all friendly governments to visit us, in order to extend our knowledge of the world outside and the status of Muslims worldwide. "The Army of Mohammad (saw) is Comming!" *Images from the fall of Erbil* The onslaught of our unconquerable lions and iron steed have overtaken the armies of the mushrikeen across battlefield Iraq. Beginning with the miraculous victory over Mosul, by the permission of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, their cowardly remnants were chased down and eradicated in swift vengeance for the spilled blood of the believers. A vengeance that swept across every city and village of the Tigris, halting just North of Tikrit for a strategic shift from the Iraqi theatre of war to engage the taghut government of the Kurds at our full might. Among countless towns that have given way to the unstoppable mujahideen, today we celebrate great victories in the ongoing jihad: Mosul (Iraqi theatre) Tal Afar (Iraqi theatre) Duhok (Kurdistan theatre) Erbil (Kurdistan theatre) And much more to be seen... Baghdad, we are coming for you. Youth Flock to the Caliphate Young Muslims from across the region and around the world heed the call of jihad and give bay'ah to our reborn Khilafa. Bringing with them their families and abandoning their former lives, both in material and spiritual evil, to seek the pleasure of Allah azzawajal in the cities and the battlefields of the Muslim State. While, Muslims of all ages are welcome and are represented amongst even the foreign fighters, by and large it is the youth that have come to swell our ranks and build the Khilafa side by side for future generations. Several Jihadi groups who have striven in the cause of Allah azzawajal for many years declare their allegiance to the Khilafa, and more are reaching out by the day. One in particular has risen in Baghdad, the heart of the web of Mushrik power in our region, giving bay'ah to Amir al-Mumineen Abu Musa al-Quraishi to take jihad into the belly of the beast. They are the soldiers of Aswad al-Tawhid bringing a foretaste of the coming war of the Iraqi theatre to the Baghdad machine. Allahu Akbar!

The Black Flag Erbil is erupting with celebrations even amidst sporadic fighting as remaining Kurdish strong points are isolated and annihilated by Ghurabaa forces. 4 Ghurabaa tanks roll up to the Kurdish Governorate building over the corpses and debris littering the street, oddly reminiscent of former Commander al-Quraishi's daring ride into Mosul City Center. Iklas and the men of LION-1 Spearhead 3 jump down from the vehicles in the midst of several young men cheering and singing the 'Muslim State Anthem' "The Shaytan's order has been shattered See now, their multitudes are scattered!" Iklas tosses them his empty pistol, and the young men are awestruck. The team bursts through the bullet-riddled doors of the main entryway. A VBIED blast echoes from across the city as Ghurabaa forces devastate a Kurdish stronghold that was frustrating their advance. Iklas emerges, with the mujahideen, from the Governorate balcony with his black flag in hand. As it waves in the smoky air, Iklas declares, "The Khilafa is victorious! It will remain and expand until the Last Day, subhanallah! We demonstrate this before the eyes of the world so that it cannot be denied. To your governments, we invite you in peace. To our enemies, come to us mercilessly and with all you have at your disposal because our ally is ALLAH subhanahu wa ta'ala!" The Kurdish flag is thrown onto the street below where the gathering crowd take turns dancing upon it, and the Black flag free of any symbols or idols is placed atop the building. Erbil has fallen. Not far from the events at the Kurdish Governorate, at the Erbil Intl. Hospital, Ghurabaa wounded have steadily been streaming in for treatment. Abu Isa al-Iraqi, new Commander of the JGJ enters one of the rooms with two armed men, their faces menacingly hidden behind black balaclavas. "Asalamualaikum." He approaches the injured man laying on the hospital bed. "You may believe it or not, wallahi I am glad you have survived. We have big plans for you, Prime Minister." Masour's heart is racing on the adjacent monitor as he awakens to the horrifying reality of falling into mujahideen hands.

INTRO Muslim State Digital Media presents al-Khilafa News and Glad Tidings from the Ghurabaa Caliphate The Khilafa in our Time! Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his household, his companions and those who followed them. The Messanger of Allah said: "The Prophethood will last among you till Allah wishes it to last, and then Allah will raise it up. Afterwards there will be a Khilafah according to the way of the Prophethood so long as Allah wishes it to last, and then Allah will raise it up. Afterwards there will be a self supporting rule and it will last so long as Allah wishes it to last, and then Allah will raise it up. Afterwards there will be an oppressive rule, and it will last as long as Allah wishes it to last, and then Allah will raise it up. And then there will be a Khilafah according to the way of the Prophethood.” [Ahmad in his Musnad, 4/273 (#18596) and al-Sunnah of ibn Abi ‘Asim (#1166 & 1169) The year 1442 Hijri has come with the revelation of Allah azzawajal's fullness of time coming to completion for the prophetic return of the Caliphate to all Muslims. A Khalifa (Caliph) has been selected through the wise deliberation of the Ahlul Halli Wal Aqdi, naming Amir al-Mumineen Abu Musa al-Quraishi, from the tribe of the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wasallam, to rightful rule over all the Ummah (Muslim people). The institutions of the Khilafa are derived from the institutions of the first Muslim State established by the Messenger of Allah salla allahu alayhi wasallam in Medina. From the Khalifa to his delegated assistants, Governors, the Ummah's Council, Media, Treasury, Foreign Affairs, Judiciary and Jihad. All this and more has already been established in Mosul and regions under our dominion. Man-made systems of power attempted to transfer sovereignty and authority to the people, in some instances small cabals, or even sole tyrants to legislate and permit or forbid whatever they liked. In Islam, the right of legislation is not for the people, a King, or Ministers etc. It is rather for Allah azzawajal alone, and nobody other than Allah has the right to allow or forbid anything and indeed He has provided us a guidance; our Prophet salla allahu alayhi wasallam, an example. And now, on this glorious dawning of our Muslim State we invite all Muslims to humbly submit to their religious obligations and give joyous bay'ah (allegiance) to the Khilafa today!

Zainab takes a cloth and dabs it under her eyes after the performance. "We are honored to see you enjoyed our humble welcome. A man who is willing to give up everything he loved in this world for the love of the next, makes for the greatest warrior mankind can produce. These men, our lions, they are able to defeat much larger armies because they are simply unafraid to die." Zainab adjusts her hijab making sure no hair has been exposed. "Ahem. Yes, the Kurds have seen some limited displacement. But this is exclusive to the region of Erbil, their purported capitol, and its vicinity- this is not a war upon the Kurds themselves. I say this with unequivocal respect toward your nation; their people (Kurds) are afflicted by strong secularist sentiments. They have striven fruitlessly for nationhood for many years. But the Caliphate recognizes that many Kurds consider themselves Muslims, that are merely in need of.. perhaps, a reminder. We will fight them only as long as they continue to resist. Excuse me." She takes a sip of water as she considers how her words will fall with their guests. "You are right to note that our efforts are intended to bring order and end the fitnah (chaos) in the region. And that brings us to the nature of our Caliphate and our ambitions. What we are building is a community in accordance with what we call the Prophetic Practice, which outlines the purpose and function of a Muslim society based entirely on the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. It is a nation of the Muslims, but it lacks the juristic personality and territorial character of the modern state, while it does hold dominion over the lands it conquers. It is the realm of the believers all over the world who give allegiance to it, not based upon the modern notion of sovereignty & we recognize no such thing as the separation of religion and politics. The Caliphate's existence and advancement is our sole political aim, and the protection of Muslims worldwide is our goal. And, how would you, sir, describe the state of the Muslims within your country?"

“Wa alaikum salam, and welcome to the Ghurabaa Caliphate, the true and reborn Muslim State.” Zainab replied. The two men accompanying her where there to have relevant diplomatic documents accessible and make a record of the events of the meeting. The Caliphate, being a young nation, is still fleshing out the working arms of its government. Talented, educated Muslims such as Zainab are rare and critical assets to any future success on the geopolitical stage. Zainab leads the group toward two large SUVs repossessed from the former Mosuli government. “If you would please follow me,” she continued, “today’s itinerary includes a brief tour of central Mosul where you will glimpse such historic sites as the Grand Mosque, your trip will conclude at the former Governing Palace where a special welcoming celebration has been prepared just for you. Once you are settled in we will begin our discussions.” She stands beside their guests SUV and adds, “I shouldn’t say... at the conclusion of our meeting, you will be able to meet our Amir al-Mumineen himself.” ... Upon completing the tour the team would be welcomed to the repurposed diplomatic Palace. They would be seated, offered drinks and a light meal option, as they were informed a small performance was about to commence. Following the short and romanticized explanation of the battle of Mosul, two young mujahideen, dressed in combat attire and pulled freshly off the front lines appeared on the small stage. To the dismay of their fellow fighters, whom they motivated with their singing, they were brought home to perform an emotional nasheed lamenting their former, hedonistic lives before finding hope in a reborn Muslim State.