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Flames of War: The Fighting Has Just Begun

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Flames of War: The Fighting Has Just Begun
Banner Ad for Flames of War
لهيب الحرب: القتال قد بدأ للتو
Produced byAl-Hayat Media Center
Narrated byMohammed Khalifa
Music byAjnad Media Production Foundation for Audio
Release date
  • 20 September 2014 (2014-09-20) (Raqqa)
Running time
55 minutes
CountrySyria
Languages

Flames of War (Arabic: لهيب الحرب, romanized: Lahīb al-ḥarb) also known by its full name Flames of War: The Fighting has Just Begun (Arabic: لهيب الحرب: القتال قد بدأ للتو, romanized: Lahīb al-ḥarb : al-Qitāl qad badaʼa lltw) is a film by the Islamic State, produced by Al-Hayat Media Center and narrated (the English version of it) by Mohammed Khalifa published in 2014.[1]

History

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On September 17, 2014, the Islamic State released a trailer for the film through their media producer, Al-Hayat Media Center, via YouTube which was spread all throughout the internet, it was released shortly after then-President of the United States, Barack Obama, outlined his plan to go after the Islamic State in the Middle East.[2] The trailer and all advertisements were spread heavily through Twitter (now X), JustPaste.it, and YouTube with one video getting 18,034 views within seven hours on 18 September 2014.[3] The trailer is 52-seconds long and featured multiple bombings and combat footage with a teaser of the execution that was at the end of the film.[4] The video is also considered not only a threat to the United States but also Al-Qaeda, with Al-Qaeda releasing a video announcing the establishment of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent a week prior to the release of the trailer.[5] The films, Flames of War and Flames of War II are both one of the very few Islamic State publications to feature teasers or trailers, as such things are only created for more sophisticated publications by the Islamic State.[6]

Responses to film

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The United States Department of State project's Think Again, Turn Away YouTube channel posted multiple YouTube videos in response to the films release in order to combat propaganda using propaganda, but was considered less rhetorically effective than the Islamic States' videos, including a one-dimensional narrative, a stance that could appear inauthentic, and a lack of sensitivity to Islamic culture.[7]

Film

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The film was released on September 20, 2014, with the entire film itself was 55 minutes long, which featured graphics and combat footage (GoPro footage as well) from the Islamic States' campaign in Iraq and Syria and an execution video at the end showing multiple captured Syrian soldiers from the 17th Division Base that was captured during the 2014 Eastern Syria offensive digging their own grave before being executed by several Islamic State militants with one of the militants speaking to the camera before doing show, who has a North American accent and speaks fluent English calling the captured soldiers the "soldiers of Bashar".[8] The film is described as a Blockbuster-like western-styled movie made to intimidate the western world and to appeal to American supporters of the Islamic State, also a film made by the Islamic State about the Islamic State.[9][10]

The film opens with an introduction to the situation involving the Islamic State and their stance against their adversaries, featuring the phrase, “You are with us, or against us,” followed by a video clip of former United States President George W. Bush making a similar statement. It also includes an excerpt from Bush’s 2003 "mission accomplished" speech given aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during the Iraq War. The film then suggests that the conflict was only beginning to escalate. The concept that "the flames of war have only just begun" is reiterated by the narrator, Mohammed Khalifa, throughout the video. Additionally, before delving into the main content, the video presents a segment discussing Muslims who have deviated from traditional Islamic beliefs, particularly criticizing those who assert or believe that physical jihad is not an essential aspect of the religion.[11]

The initial segment focuses on a group of fighters attempting to take control of a Syrian airbase. The process of the takeover is documented and narrated, detailing the reconnaissance, trench digging, use of artillery to support advancing troops, disabling of enemy tanks with shoulder-fired weapons, and the capture of a radar station. The narrator emphasizes that Islamic State fighters are distinct from their adversaries because their motivation is spiritual rather than material. However, any loot acquired after the conflict is viewed as a "reward from Allah". The filmmakers suggest that their success against stronger opponents on various fronts supposedly demonstrates Allah's support for the Islamic State. Several scenes depict fighters approaching enemy tanks on foot. The tank crews attempt to leave their vehicles but are shot in the process. The narrator states that "Allah guides the RPG grenade and punishes the enemy through the fighters, portraying the tank hunters, armed only with handheld rockets and IEDs, as the ultimate symbol of sacrifice". This segment is considered a classic portrayal of "good versus evil" as shown in other Islamic State propaganda.[12]

The footage afterwards shows an Islamic State fighter who has died, accompanied by an audio clip from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi stating that the path is not easy. It depicts the idea that the mujahideen are committed to either victory or death. The camera focuses on the faces of two deceased fighters. The narrator, Mohammed Khalifa, continues to state that the Islamic State has expanded into new territories and has gained support from some civilians.[13]

Flames of War II

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Flames of War II (Arabic: نيران الحرب الثانية, romanized: Nīrān al-ḥarb al-thāniyah) was released in November 2017, three years after the release of Flames of War,[14] it was also produced and made by Al-Hayat Media Center.[15] The full name of the film is Flames of War II: Until the Final Hour (Arabic: لهيب الحرب الثانية: حتى الساعة الأخيرة, romanized: Lahīb al-ḥarb al-thāniyah : ḥattá al-sāʻah al-akhīrah) and featured the same type of style of combat footage, it also featured and execution of multiple Syrian soldiers at the end of the film which was spearheaded by another masked man who spoke in fluent English and had a North American accent.[16] The first 24 minutes of the film deals with the recapturing of the Syrian city of Palmyra during the 2017 Palmyra offensive and multiple clips of bombings of Syrian army and Syrian rebel sites using VBIEDs,[17] with an assault using an infantry unit of the military of the Islamic State being used.[18] This film was also narrated by Mohammed Khalifa.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Jones, Dustin (2021-10-03). "A Canadian, the alleged voice behind ISIS videos, could face life in prison". KUAR. NPR. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  2. ^ "Islamic State releases trailer for 'Flames of War'". The Washington Post. 2014-09-17. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  3. ^ "The Islamic State". Publications. 1 (1): 12. 2014-10-28 – via The Soufan Group.
  4. ^ Pandey, Avaneesh (2014-09-17). "ISIS Claims 'Fighting Has Just Begun'". International Business Times. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  5. ^ Burke, Jason (2014-09-17). "Islamic State video swaps images of atrocities for 'thrill' of conventional war". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  6. ^ Zywietz, Bernd; Beese, Yorck (2020-12-15), "Appropriation in Islamic State Propaganda: A Theoretical and Analytical Framework of Types and Dimensions", Jihadi Audiovisuality and its Entanglements, Edinburgh University Press, pp. 99–122, doi:10.3366/edinburgh/9781474467513.003.0005, ISBN 978-1-4744-6751-3, retrieved 2025-01-10
  7. ^ Allendorfer, William H.; Herring, Susan C. (2015-12-14). "ISIS vs. the U.S. government: A war of online video propaganda". First Monday. 20 (17). doi:10.5210/fm.v20i12.6336. ISSN 1396-0466.
  8. ^ Parmenter, Tom (2014-09-20). "IS Releases Gruesome Full-Length Film". Sky News. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  9. ^ Weaver, Matthew (2014-09-17). "Islamic State video threatens to target White House and US troops". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  10. ^ Crellin, Olivia (2014-09-17). "Islamic State Video Is Latest in Worldwide Propaganda Wars". VICE News. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  11. ^ Mauro, Ryan (2014-09-21). "ISIS Releases 'Flames of War' Feature Film to Intimidate West". Clarion Project. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  12. ^ Greene, Kyle J. (2015-04-24). "ISIS: Trends in Terrorist Media and Propaganda" (PDF). International Studies Capstone Research Papers. 3: 30 – via Cedarville University.
  13. ^ Stevens, Daniel (2015). "ISIS Propaganda and United States Countermeasures". Defense and Strategic studies. 3 (1): 49 – via Missouri State University.
  14. ^ Beyer, Carsten (2020-08-20). "Editing for the Caliphate: Assessing Islamic State's Editing Process and Equipment". GNET. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  15. ^ "Warning: Viewer Discretion Advised. ISIS Video "Flames of War II" Presents New Narrative: Through Death We Remain Forever Victorious". Middle East Media Research Institute. 2017-11-29. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  16. ^ Al Ibrahim, Daleen; Shi, Yibin (2019-05-18). "The ISIS' Discourse from the Rise to the Collapse: Analysis of ISIS' Discourse through Films 'Flames of War I & II'". Media Watch. 10 (2). doi:10.15655/mw/2019/v10i2/49633. ISSN 2249-8818.
  17. ^ "(Video - Full Feature Length) al Hayat Media Center Islamic State: Flames of War II: Until the Final Hour (In Arabic & English) - 30 November 2017". TRAC. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  18. ^ "Terrorism: Isis, new official video. Alhayat Media Center released the video Flames of War II - Until the Final Hour". PRP Channel. 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  19. ^ "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MOHAMMED KHALIFA" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
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