Iraqi comedy takes on Islamic State – video

As US-led forces carry out air strikes against Islamic State, Baghdad is using a new weapon to undermine the militants: comedy.

State of Myths, a new 30-part satirical series, began airing on Iraqi state television this weekend, with the aim of using slapstick comedy to expose the true nature of the extremists.

Set in a fictional Iraqi town taken over by Islamic State, the show makes fun of the militants, including their elusive leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

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The show's original trailer (above) plays on a common conspiracy theory in Iraq that the US, Qatar and Israel were responsible for the rise of Islamic State. It shows the "birth" of Baghdadi, whose mother represents Israel and father the devil, with an American cowboy welcoming guests to the wedding party.

With the US and its allies now bombing militants, the conspiracy theory has become harder to sell and the show's director said he was instructed to remove some of the characters representing America and Qatar.

The show, which is also translated as State of Superstitions, has a catchy theme song, a parody of a known Islamic State anthem, says the Daily Telegraph.

In other scenes, Baghdadi is seen reclining on a gold-rimmed sofa considering his social media strategy with a sword-wielding dwarf; a town drunk beats those who consume alcohol but still drinks in secret himself; and a shop owner is told he must segregate vegetables with feminine and masculine names in the Arabic language.

"The show demonstrates the extraordinary ability of people in this war-scarred nation to challenge violence with humour," says the Washington Post. "But making light of the group notorious for beheadings and massacres brings serious risks."

The scriptwriter has insisted on remaining anonymous, while some cast members, including the actor who plays Baghdadi, have asked that their names are left out of the show's credits.

Director Ali al-Qassem said the cast believes their work can form part of the war effort. "We all have a duty to defend this country," he said. "We are not good at using weapons but we can also help defeat [Islamic State] through our work."