We soon knew of their penchant for hanging bodies in their street, and their belief that Al-Qaeda is too soft. We also knew that several foreign fighters, including Britons, have joined them.

Yet, in those early weeks and months, people couldn't really get behind Isis, get a clear picture of who they are and what they are fighting for. Sure everyone could see the headless bodies and the teens on tanks, but no-one could get the high-definition close-up they longed for.

Now, after speaking to my contacts in Raqqa and drawing on my own experience of living in the city under Isis rule, I can offer a detailed view of this terrifying and enigmatic group - and shine a light on the women, children, and British fighters at their core.

Child soldiers and female vigilantes

It is well known that the "Islamic State" recruits a large number of children under the age of 18 who do not have any form of religious extremism. In fact, there are people in the organisation whose task it is to recruit children by brainwashing or by offering large sums of money; they also have dedicated camps for ideological training and a "religious" military service.

Also, in Raqqa there is a battalion consisting of more than 50 women affiliated to Isis called the "Al-Khansa Battalion", whose job it is to patrol the streets to pursue women. These women are the wives of immigrants to Syria, who are from a number of different nationalities but mainly Tunisian, Moroccan, French, and British.

Not too long ago the Al-Khansa battalion patrolled the city's schools shortly before they were closed down by the Islamic State and introduced legal marriage, as they call it, to the Mujahidin which was met with big disapproval from the city's people and the families of the female students, prompting many of them to leave the city and not to send their daughters to schools, and even leave the house.

'We left Britain because you can't practice religion there'