Blog

Who are the female fighters in the Kurdish War?

Who are the female fighters in the Kurdish War?

These female fighters are motivated by the words of Abdullah Ocalan, head of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), who promotes Marxist thought and empowerment of women. Source: Newsha Tavakolian/TIME

Who was the female fighter who blew herself up in Kobani?

Early this month, Deilar Kanj Khamis, better known by her military name Arin Mirkan, blew herself up outside Kobani, killing 10 IS fighters, according to Kurdish forces. Haj Mansour, the Kurdish defense official, recounted that Kurdish fighters were forced to withdraw from a strategic hill south of the besieged town.

Who are the female Peshmerga fighters in Syria?

One Kurdish female fighter, who uses the nom de guerre of Afshin Kobani, used to be a teacher. Now, the Kurdish Syrian woman has traded the classroom for the front lines in the battle for the town. A Kurdish Peshmerga female fighter takes up a position during combat skills training before being deployed to fight Isis militants

Are there any female fighters in the Muslim world?

Among those fighters are thousands of women, an unusual phenomenon in the Muslim world in which warfare is often associated with manhood. In April, Kurdish fighters created all-female combat units that have grown to include more than 10,000 women.

How are women fighting for freedom in Kurdistan?

Kurdish women typically marry at a young age and “even if they want to go on a walk, they have to ask permission,” she explains. They fight for equality by taking on traditionally masculine roles and transforming perceptions. For many, joining the militia has been their first taste of freedom.

Who are the women who saved Kobani from ISIS?

They’re known as the women who helped save their city from ISIS. In 2014, a female Kurdish militia in the town of Kobani on the Syrian-Turkish border, handed the Islamic State its first real defeat, helping drive the terrorists out of northern Syria. The story is now the subject of a new book, “The Daughters of Kobani.”

Are there any female fighters in the Syrian War?

After the Syrian war began in 2011, Berlin-based photographer Sonja Hamad saw many images of Kurdish female fighters — but felt they did not do the women justice. “The images were very sensational,” she says. “The women were depicted in the same way as men — always holding weapons.