Shades of Grey: Life Off the Battlefield for ISIS

The honeymoon was a brief moment for love, away from the front lines of Syria's war. In the capital of the Islamic State group's self-proclaimed "caliphate," Syrian fighter Abu Bilal al-Homsi was united with his Tunisian bride for the first time after months chatting online.
The 24-year-old bride-to-be traveled through Algeria to Turkey, and from there to Raqqa with a group of other women joining IS. They were housed in a guesthouse for women, where the IS women police force also resides.
They married, then passed the days dining on grilled meats in Raqqa's restaurants, strolling along the Euphrates River and eating ice cream.
It was all made possible by the marriage bonus he received from the Islamic State group: $1,500 for him and his wife to get started on a new home, a family — and a honeymoon.
During the few days of their honeymoon, al-Homsi and his bride enjoyed Raqqa's relative tranquility, riverside promenades and restaurants.
Then the couple travelled back to the Homs area, where IS fighters are holding ground against Assad's forces and rival rebel groups.
There, al-Homsi used the money from his grant to prepare a home for his new bride, and four kittens. The couple is now expecting a new baby and hoping for another cash injection, as the group can pay up to $400 as a bonus for each child.
Soon after speaking to the AP, al-Homsi was back on the battlefield, among the Syrian fighters who took over the ancient city of Palmyra earlier this month.