Syrian Rebels Begin Offensive to Retake ISIS-Held ‘Apocalyptic’ Town of Dabiq

Syrian rebels begin offensive to retake Dabiq – YouTube

FSA Begins Operation to Capture ISIL-Held ‘Apocalyptic’ Town of Dabiq

Militant groups announced the start of their offensive to capture ISIL-held Dabiq in Northern Syria.

Clashes have been reported in Sawran, Ihtaymilat and Dabiq itself, with Ghaylaniye just captured by the Turkey-backed militant fighters, AMN reported.

Dabiq is said to be the site of the final battle between Muslims and Christians in apocalyptic Islamic prophesy.

ISIL newspaper al-Naba’ said that the current Dabiq conflict is not prophesied “greater battle of Dabiq”.

Turkish military sources claim the operation to capture Dabiq started 10 days ago.

“The operation for Dabiq started 10 days ago. We started the effort to take control of the region from the south. Daesh [ISIL] targets are being hit by Turkish fighter jets and artillery,” a source told Reuters.

The disturbing footage, named ‘Meeting at Dabiq’, is focused on the notion of a deadly battle for world domination, in which ISIS ‘believers’ will fight western ‘crusaders’ in the Italian capital.

Filmed in Iraq, it depicts the terror group’s shock troops and gunners charging out of armoured personnel carriers, before opening fire on practice targets, such as a special forces unit.
It also features a bizarre scene showing a militant trying to look dignified on horseback, and clips of jihadists exchanging hugs as they depart on suicide missions, according to the Daily Mirror.

As they embrace, a caption on the screen reads: ‘Goodbye to the companions.’

At one point in the footage, 60 national flags are shown. They apparently represent the countries ISIS claims to be at war with, including Britain, France, Australia, the U.S., and many others.
And in a digitally-altered scene, an ISIS armoured unit is filmed heading toward the Colosseum.

The male narrator describes how militants will destroy the ‘crusader’ sites.

‘This is your last crusade, the next time it is us who will take the battle on your own land,’ he says.

As well as the famous amphitheatre, St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City also features in the footage.
Other scenes show jihadists kissing the foreheads of their dead comrades, praying on the sand, shooting guns and carrying ISIS’s black-and-white flag as they travel on foot and in their vehicles.

Some of them are seen comfortably sporting suicide vests, as if they are wearing normal jackets.

The militants are also captured carrying out training exercises (including one that sees them practice how to slit an enemy’s throat), firing grenades at practice targets, and even preparing food.

In relation to the name given to the video, ‘Dabiq’ refers to the location where ISIS believes it will eventually face its enemies in a showdown, after which the apocalypse will reportedly begin.