Episodes

5 episodes in this season

The Spread of the Caliphate

10 min

Grooming Children for Jihad

10 min

Now Playing

Enforcing Sharia in Raqqa

10 min

Christians in the Caliphate

10 min

Bulldozing the Border Between Iraq and Syria

10 min

VICE News: The Islamic State

TV Series

201410m

DocumentaryNews

Now playing

Enforcing Sharia in Raqqa

Season 1 · Episode 3 · Aug 13, 2014

The Islamic State now governs its caliphate from the north central Syrian city of Raqqa, which was once a relatively westernized agricultural hub. As the State's power base, Raqqa is where it imposes its version of Sharia law throughout large swaths of Iraq and Syria. The "Hisbah" are the new Sharia police. In the latest episode of The Islamic State, VICE News joins them on their daily patrols during Ramadan, and witnesses how they check on shops and scrutinize produce, while at the same time ensuring their strict rules on women's appearances are adhered to. We are also taken to an Islamic State prison and speak with inmates accused of abusing drugs and selling alcohol. There we learn firsthand of the prisoners' punishments, and how they have since "rediscovered" their devotion to the Islamic faith since their incarceration — but are yet to be granted permission to declare their allegiance to the caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

More details

VICE News: The Islamic State

TV Series

201410m

DocumentaryNews

Now playing

Enforcing Sharia in Raqqa

Season 1 · Episode 3 · Aug 13, 2014

More details