Documentary / News
With unprecedented and exclusive access, VICE News journalist and filmmaker Medyan Dairieh spent three weeks filming alone inside the self-proclaimed caliphate of the Islamic State. The Islamic State, a hardline Sunni jihadist group that formerly had ties to al Qaeda, has…

The Islamic State, a hardline Sunni jihadist group that formerly had ties to al Qaeda, has conquered large swathes of Iraq and Syria. Previously known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the group has announced their intention to reestablish the caliphate and declared their leader, the shadowy Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as the caliph.

Filmmaker Medyan Dairieh meets an Islamic State member from Belgium who works to indoctrinate some of the youngest members of the group. He also gains further insight into the minds of Islamic State fighters as they host celebrations and military parades featuring American tanks and APCs seized from the Iraqi army.

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.

The lightning advances of the Islamic State across Syria and Iraq in June shocked the world. But it’s not just the group's military victories that have garnered attention — it’s also the pace with which its members have begun to carve out a viable state.
On August 8, nearly three years after the United States pulled out of Iraq, President Barack Obama ordered airstrikes to commence on Islamic State positions in northern Iraq, as the group’s fighters advanced towards the Kurdish capital of Erbil. For six weeks prior to the strikes the Islamic State made stunning gains within Iraq, effectively dismantling the border with Syria and defeating the Iraqi army with little in the way to stop them.
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Series in which intrepid presenter Kate Humble follows the ancient frankincense trade route of Arabia across the amazing modern world of the Middle East. Kate's journey along the 2,000-mile trail that first connected the Arab world with the West takes her on a quest that's steeped in history, searing with desert heat, and full of characters and adventure.

Ross Kemp journeys to the Middle East where the bitter conflict has cost tens of thousands of lives and forced millions to live in fear and misery. Ross visits Gaza one year on from Operation Cast Lead, a massive Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip that saw as many as 1,400 Palestinians die, thousands of homes destroyed, and much of Gaza's infrastructure obliterated. He then travels to Israel and discovers a country divided, one that is surrounded by enemies and living under the constant fear of rocket attacks and suicide bombs from groups dedicated to its destruction.

Wildest Middle East explores the most remote and most surprising corners of this ancient land. Turkey’s vast and varied landscapes range from snow covered mountain passes, to spectacular coral reefs. Arabia is the world’s largest peninsular and harbours a wealth of wildlife in its seas and mountains. Egypt’s rich lands are nurtured by the life-giving waters of the iconic Nile, and the startlingly wide range of natural habitats in Jordan has resulted in a treasure chest of wildlife. This stunning series showcases the landscape and wildlife as never seen before.

From the streets of Afghanistan comes an all-new series profiling the U.S. military's most dangerous job. The first of its kind, Bomb Patrol Afghanistan is a groundbreaking docu-series giving viewers an unprecedented first person view of one of the most dangerous jobs in the world in one of the most dangerous places on earth. G4 embeds viewers within the U.S. Navy E.O.D. (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Unit as it trains state-side prior to deployment. Outside the wire in war-torn Afghanistan, helmet and body mounted cameras and state-of-the-art robotics bring you a never before seen look at the intensity of war. Viewers will witness as the elite team searches out, disarms and destroys an array of deadly explosives with one goal: to save civilian and military lives and return home safely. This is war like you've never seen before.