Doubts creeping in

Doubts creeping in

A Two Edged Sword

An excerpt

There was still a lot of time up to midday prayer and lunch, but al-Rimli was haunted with doubts and fears, which he was not able to admit consciously even to himself; he had no thoughts of course of addressing his men even indirectly with the fears that bothered his soul. The situation was deteriorating from day to day, the Turks claim that they've killed al-Afari who is the Caliph in facto, now that al-Baghdadi's state of health is not known…

'What I'd liked to know is what the Turks gained from spreading this outrageous lie?' He exclaimed suddenly aloud, cutting off the pleasant chat of his aides, and the silence within the Chechen and his staff.

'What a lie, ah you mean their claim that they killed al-Afari?' The Chechen answered with a question, after al-Rimali's exclamation was translated by Abu Dikalu.

'Yes it's really hard to understand why, I thought you should have a reasonable explanation al-Rimali, and not being the one that asks why. But what does you think Abu Dikalu?' He turned to his loyal deputy, who did surprise them several times with his relevant and wise  views.

'They've killed two birds with one stone sir.' Abu Dikalu started his explanation and hastened to translate each sentence into Arabic.

'They fear the Kurdish resistnace organization's influence in south-east Turkey, and the Kurdish aspirations for autonomy in northern Syria. So by claiming that they've killed al-Afari in south/east Turkey they're tying associate our Islamic Caliphate with the Kurds resistance organization; and they're justifying their air raids on the Kurds in northern Syria, instead of bombarding us.'

'What a pity we can't contact with Ar-Raqqa and find out how al-Afari is doing? I can't believe that the prints that the Turks have shown on their main television channel are of the real al-Afari, it must be the prints that they've copied from the internet, or it could be the prints of someone who looks like al-Afari.' Al-Rimali expressed his feelings of frustration, hoping that the Chechen will suggest a way of contacting Ar-Raqqa.

But al-Shishani after hearing the translation of al-Rimali's indirect request preferred to ignore it, and hastened to remind everyone that it's time for midday prayer.

We could try and send a messenger riding a bike at midnight and expect him back tomorrow, but I'm better without Ar-Raqqa's instructions; I'm the Caliph of Mosul, and I'd sense enough stay here instead reaching Fallujah… I won't be surprised if al-Afari did defect, or even offered his services to the Turks and the Turks killed him after they've used him. I'm afraid that our cause is lost in the long run, and I've nowhere to go… Yes that's the truth and in several more months we're going to  be defeated, I'd rather fight up to my death here in Mosul than try to return home; without knowing if I'll be able to leave Mosul and reach home, or if I'll manage to flee alive I'll be prosecuted by the Russians… He kept thinking while mumbling the prayer's words.

© Haim Kadman 2016 �" all rights reserved.

You can the first three chaptes of each of my 20 published books vy visiting my page with Amazon.com

Amazon.com: Haim Kadman: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks ...

www.amazon.com/Haim-Kadman/e/B009Z7XL8C