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An Officer’s Diary

13 July, 2016

You must forgive me for neglecting you this past week, my dear diary. My duties have been very demanding these last few days. The division’s had plenty of success in taking over savage territory. The 3rd Brigade pushed in hard from the north and took the numerous strongholds in Jowzjan, while the 5th Brigade swooped in from Zion to take the more vulnerable western provinces of Faryab, Badghis, Herat, Ghower and Farah. The 12th Armour Division then helped our 19th Mobilised Infantry Division and took many of the central and eastern provinces. Soon, we’ll be making a coordinated push to secure the south.

Taking provinces isn’t what’s proving to be challenging: it’s the concept of holding down conquered territory and not losing to a bunch of camel-riding, turban-wearing blacks and Medes. We lose dozens of young men and women daily not at the frontlines, but in the rear echelons trying to civilise these Islamist barbarians. They sneak up and attack our boys from the rear, blast them to heaven-come when they’re on patrol duty, or simply assassinate commissioned officers. We in the general staff are now forbidden from wearing our officer uniforms or saluting one another, out of fear of a shadowy sniper hiding behind their badgir or windcatchers, ready to strike us down. (Can you believe it? They still rely on ancient ventilation systems to keep cool in this God-forsaken hell.)

Henry and Will send their regards! Or well, Henry does; Will insists on being hysterical. I’m growing increasingly worried day by day over his behaviour. Henry and I both thought his sour mood would pass in a day or two, but it’s been a week and it’s only grown worse. Everyone else still has their spirits up, though some are beginning to get nervous from all the unexpected killings to which we are all prone to, no matter where we’re posted.