In the desolate expanses of northern Mali, former French Foreign Legionnaire Étienne Lefevre navigates the volatile landscape of the Islamic State of Azawad, a region torn by conflict between Tuareg separatists, Islamic extremists, and opportunistic militants. Tasked by his enigmatic former superior, Captain Guerin, Étienne undertakes perilous reconnaissance missions to gather intelligence amidst escalating violence and ethnic tensions.

As Étienne maneuvers through treacherous dunes and war-torn villages, documenting atrocities and military movements, he encounters Mariam, a young refugee whose village was ravaged by marauding forces. Drawn to her resilience and beauty amidst the chaos, Étienne wrestles with his mission's moral complexities and his loyalty to unseen agendas.

With each revelation of brutality and survival, Étienne's journey unravels layers of deception and desperation, blurring the lines between ally and enemy, truth and deception. As he navigates the shifting sands of loyalty and survival, Étienne must confront his own illusions of duty and the haunting mirage of peace in a land consumed by conflict.