Chapter 1215 - 1062: Departure! Illiguo North! (4)

"Very limited, like groping in the dark."

Samir shook his head helplessly, pointing to a one-eyed warrior sitting silently in the shadows at the edge of the camp, holding an old-fashioned Mosin-Nagant.

"Our eyes in the towns have almost been gouged out by them. 1515 carries out a reign of terror, with their religious police everywhere, their 'courts,' beheading at the slightest suspicion! The ordinary people are angry but don't dare to speak. We can only rely on a few absolutely trustworthy tribal elders to relay bits of information, or..."

He paused, his voice carrying a hint of pain, gesturing towards a soldier sitting by the campfire.

"...send our most elite scouts out to risk their lives, the cost... like Hassan, his team of five went out, and only he returned, missing an eye."

The campfire's glow flickered across Hassan's face, his hollow eye socket seemed to silently tell of the price's brutality.

The camp plunged into a heavy silence.

Song Heping listened silently, every word Samir said weighed heavy like a lead block.

The frenzied expansion speed of 1515, the tangled funding networks and international undercurrents behind it, the complete collapse and incompetence of the government army, and the suffocating desperate situation of the 'Liberation Army'...

All of it far exceeded his previous expectations.

This was not a simple special operation but forging a force capable of fighting the Devil on a land torn apart by extremism!

"Samir."

Song Heping's voice broke the silence, unusually calm, like an undercurrent beneath the ice.

"Tell me, what are the main strongholds and activity patterns of 1515 in your area? Where is their supply line lifeline? Who is the commander responsible for this region? What... do they fear the most?"

Samir's spirit lifted, knowing that Song Heping was getting to the core.

He immediately marked detailed points in the sand with a twig, his voice carrying a hint of determined killing intent:

"Haditha Town: Currently still in the hands of local tribal forces and remnants of the government army, but already surrounded on three sides by 1515, extremely precarious! 1515 sees it as a nail that must be removed, with waves of offensives growing ever fiercer. It's our only channel to obtain external supplies and the last beacon in the hearts of the resistors! If it falls, the people's morale will collapse completely!"

"West Bank of the Euphrates, the heart of 1515 in this area! A large military camp and logistics hub, storing a massive amount of materials looted from Mosul, also a gathering place for newly recruited cannon fodder and foreign zealots. Commanding them is a character nicknamed 'The Butcher,' Zakavi (not the Jordanian one, but a ruthless successor of the name), known for brutal killing of prisoners and spreading terror."

"Main supply line: Two major arteries. One is the waterway and highway from Mosul direction along the Euphrates, mainly for transporting oil, heavy equipment, and troops; the other is a more cunning, more deadly desert route from Rakka stronghold in Siria, specially transporting foreign jihadists and light weapons and ammunition. This desert line is their Achilles' heel but also the hardest to seize."

"1515's main forces are as active as locusts during the day, sweeping and patrolling in pickup trucks and armored vehicles. At night, they relatively shrink back into town strongholds. However, they have seized a lot of night vision equipment, so night raids and infiltration are common."

"What are their weaknesses?" Song Heping asked.

Samir's eyes flashed coldly: "Firstly, they are not monolithic! The local tribal forces forced to join them don't mix well with the fanatic foreigners, there's deep tension! Secondly, their supply lines, especially the desert one, are stretched too thin, very reliant on local guides familiar with the terrain, which presents an opportunity! It's just I don't have the ability to cut off this line. Thirdly, they also fear death! Especially those leaders! They seem crazy, but they are very cautious about their lives! They fear targeted elimination! Fear having their bases wiped out!"

Song Heping's gaze fixed on the sand table.

Haditha, this key strategic stronghold, must be held!

It is an important gateway to Baghdad.

As for the desert supply line of the 1515 armed forces, especially from the Siria direction, it's the critical juncture to sever their reinforcements.

"Samir."

Song Heping pointed at Naxin: "I will provide you with support, assisting you in organizing and expanding your forces. The first batch of equipment will be in your hands within five days, the specific handover details will be discussed with you by Naxin."

Upon hearing about the support and equipment.

At these words, an unbelievable sparkle exploded in the eyes of Samir and several key warriors around him!

Equipment!

The thing they dreamed of day and night!

"Here's the equipment list."

Naxin handed the list document to Samir.

Samir eagerly scanned it by the campfire light, his breathing instantly becoming heavy: "Night vision goggles! Anti-tank missiles! 'Kornet'! Sniper rifles! SVDK! My Allah! This... this is simply timely assistance!"

"It's not just about equipment."

Song Heping said gravely: "There's also money. General Afanti has granted us an oil quota worth 100 million US Dollars. Once sold, this money can buy a large amount of drugs and other supplies."

"Oil?!"

Samir was first stunned, then a surge of exhilaration filled his heart.

"There are channels over in Haditha! Several elders have been secretly dealing in this! As long as we have oil, we can exchange it for the resources to survive and continue fighting! But now over in Haditha..."

The joy on his face quickly melted away.

"Don't worry about the oil trade, I will arrange it." Song Heping pointed to the location of Haditha on the makeshift sand table on the ground.

"The most critical issue now is here. If this falls, I fear even Baghdad will be hard to secure."