7:20, Command node of the central 1515 Armed forces.
Major Qadir roared into the radio, but there was only static noise in the communication channel.
He tried to switch to the backup frequency, but there was no response either.
He knew what had happened—the communication equipment was destroyed, or worse, the communications officer had fled with the equipment.
"Sir, an enemy convoy has been spotted on the east side!" a sentry screamed.
Qadir rushed to the top of the dune, raising his binoculars.
He saw a nightmarish scene: dozens of armed pickups and Hummers were racing towards them in a skirmish line formation, the heavy machine guns on their roofs spitting flames, drawing deadly light trails in the morning light.
Even more frightening was their maneuvering tactics.
They weren't moving in a straight line but were weaving serpentine between dunes, appearing and disappearing.
