The global coalition against ISIS was never just about fighting terrorism. Hidden behind that rhetoric lie proxy wars and regional powerstruggles.

ISIS successfully exploited Sunni discontent to take control of large swathes of Iraq. It was only after the attacks in Europe that a new Iraqi army, meant to rally together Sunnis and Shiites and embody national unity, was created. But in reality, the army is regarded as an offshoot of the Shiite regime. Many believe that Sunnis and Shiites can no longer peacefully coexist and the Kurds hope to profit from these fractures to form their own homeland.

In Syria, when the uprising first started, Assad was able to divide the opposition and secure his own dictatorship by freeing the most radical Islamic prisoners. He has used ISIS to weaken his enemies and present himself as a bastion against terrorism. Invoking religious solidarity, he has the support of Shiite Iran and Hezbollah.

Today, 5,000 Hezbollah fighters are present in Syria. The war against ISIS effectively enables them and Iran to control a large part of the country. But for the Saudi monarchy, allied with other Arab nations and the Gulf states, Iran represents a bigger threat than ISIS. The involvement of Russia and the US has only increased the stakes. The battle for Iraq and Syria has turned into a proxy war, a battle for global and regional supremacy.

Featuring interviews with officials, witnesses and survivors at the forefront of the hidden conflict against ISIS, this documentary delves deeper into the heart of a complex, political and seemingly interminable war.

This film was first released in 2016



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