Khaled Al-Asad grew up in Urzikstan amid political strife. He was drawn to the words of Omar Sulaman and joined the Al-Qatala terrorist group. He was imprisoned but escaped after Sulaman’s death to take control of Al-Qatala. His leadership transformed the militants into an army as he acquired an arsenal for the invasion of Verdansk. Committed to the demise of Western power, Al-Asad launched gas attacks in Verdansk, breaking a fragile armistice between nations.