George Khamis left his comfortable life and fled the country to join the fight against the Islamic State.
He left behind his family along with his comfortable job to join the fight against the Islamic State militants in the Middle East.
George Khamis, who has no military background, travelled to Iraq to join an Assyrian militia called Dwekh Nawsha, where he was based just two kilometres away from the IS danger zone in Batnaya.
Appearing on Channel Seven's Sunday Night show, Khamis, who was born in Iraq, said he wanted to join the fight against IS to protect his religious beliefs and family connections.
Sharing a room with six other fighters, the father of two revealed the sleepless nights spent in their own beds with their uniforms on and guns ready to strike at any time.
The foreign fighter, who has lived in Melbourne for 23 years with his wife and their two young children said his family pleaded for his return since fleeing the country.
'It's not an easy thing to make that decision, to come all the way from there to here, far far away in a danger zone,' Khamis said. 'Basically I'm here to defend my land. My people against Islamic State.' With the new terror laws introduced, Australians who join any militant causes overseas could face a lifetime behind bars should they survive and return. But after four weeks of fighting, Khamis booked a flight to Melbourne but was unsure whether he would be allowed back in the country as he made the long trip home.
Khamis, who was born in Iraq, has lived in Melbourne for 23 years with his wife and their two young children.
He was detained in Abu Dabi for several hours and stopped at Melbourne airport for questioning but he was eventually released while his sister waited for his arrival. Sunday Night reports Khamis has not been charged but has been told that authorities will meet with him for further questioning.
'Unfortunately it is very serious and I am still concerned,' Khamis said. More than 90 Australians are understood to have travelled to the Middle East to join militant causes. The revelations come after Northern Territory Labour Party leader Matthew Gardiner reportedly fled the country to join the fight against the IS in January.
The 43-year-old resigned as NT United Voice union secretary and left his wife and their two young children behind to join the Kurdish militants. Meanwhile, Sydney jihadists Mohamed Elomar, Khaled Sharrouf, and teenager Abdullah Elmir - dubbed the Ginger Jihadist - are so far the most high profile Australians to have travelled to the Middle East to fight with Islamic State.
Elmir, a former Condell Park High student, was filmed on the banks of the River Tigris in Iraq last October. The 17-year-old gained notoriety when he declared that ISIS will not stop their murderous campaign 'until the black flag is flying high in every single land' in the YouTube video.While Elomar and Sharrouf have appeared regularly in Islamic State videos. One of which included a beheading of a prisoner. Convicted terrorist Sharrouf served three years and 11 months in prison over his role in the 2005 Pendennis terror plot. He left Australia illegally last year and is believed to be fighting with ISIS.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – More than 1,150 of the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga have been killed in the war with ISIS and over 5,600 wounded, a Kurdish MP said in a report.
Kawa Mohammed, a Kurdish MP in the Iraqi parliament, said he had sent a report to Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi citing that, “Until now, some 1,152 Peshmerga have lost their lives and more than 5,600 are wounded in the fight against ISIS.”
Mohammed said that he had asked the prime minister why Peshmerga salaries are not being paid by the Baghdad government.
Iraq and Erbil have been long locked in political and financial disputes, but these have exacerbated from Baghdad refusing to pay for the running of the Kurdish regional government, including Peshmerga salaries.
“The families of martyrs live in a bad condition, which they do not deserve. The Peshmerga’s bravery and strength requires us to improve those living conditions,” Mohammed said in his report to Abadi, who he said is obligated to reply to the MP within two weeks.
Below is some info on the Biden visit with Barzani. For the most part the U.S. continues to drag its feet and not help arm the Kurdish Peshmerga forces fighting the #ISIS #daeshbags in Syria and Iraq. So far the US stance has been to only give the weapons to the Iraqi government and hope they somehow make it to the Peshmerga who need it so desperately. Yet this is not likely to happen anytime soon, as the Iraqi government is not interested in helping to arm the Kurds. Meanwhile the Germans, Italians, and Danes have helped by supplying rifles, bazookas, ammo, and training. The Swedes and Kiwis are set to send troops to help train the Peshmerga. However the amount of Arms and Ammo has been very very limited at best. We can only hope things change soon. The Peshmerga have proved themselves to be the most ethical force fighting ISIS. - Ian Bach
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Biden meets with Barzani
The White House stated that US Vice President Joe Biden has spoken with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani following attacks against Kurds carried out by ISIL on Friday.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) -- US Vice President Joe Biden has spoken with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani following attacks against Kurds carried out by Islamic State (ISIL) extremists on Friday, the White House announced in a statement.
"The Vice President called [on Saturday afternoon] to express condolences for the Kurdish Peshmerga executed by ISIL," the statement, released on Saturday, said.
Biden and Barzani agreed to reinforce the "collective resolve" to defeat ISIL, which has ceased vast areas in Iraq and Syria.
"The Vice President also offered warm wishes to President Barzani, his family and the people of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region as they observe Nowruz," the White House statement said.
Last week, Iraqi Kurdish forces backed by US and coalition airstrikes pushed ISIL militants out of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, taking some 40 square miles of territory, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq.
..............Above the jubilant cheers of the hundreds of thousands of Kurds celebrating the festival of Newroz, Kurdish new year, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abudallah Ocalan yesterday called for a definitive end to the “40-year-long armed struggle” against the Turkish state.
As Mr Ocalan’s statement was read to the huge rally, the sun broke through the clouds and the thudding rain eased: even the weather seemed to recognise a momentous occasion. His emphasis on a democratic solution is seen as a pivotal step in a process that many officials from both sides believe is the single most important issue the country faces.
“I see it as historical and necessary to hold a congress to stop the armed struggle which has been carried on by the PKK against the Turkish Republic for nearly 40 years and to determine political and social strategies and tactics which are suitable for a new period,” he said in a two-page letter read out by deputies of the Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), first in Kurdish and then in Turkish.
Hillside fires are lit for celebrations marking spring and the new year in Turkey’s Sirnak province last week (AFP)
Mr Ocalan called late last month for the PKK leadership to convene an “extraordinary congress in the coming spring months” to make the decision to definitively relinquish the armed fight............
The peace efforts have also revealed tensions between Mr Erdogan, who seeks executive powers as president but does not constitutionally have them, and the government.
In unusually direct criticism, deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc accused Mr Erdogan of being “emotional” and of meddling in government business after he said he did not agree with the establishment of a committee to monitor the peace process, a step agreed with Kurdish politicians.
“It is the government which is running the country,” he told reporters. “The president speaking like this, to the point of criticising our government, may wear out the government.”................. ------------------------------------ Pro-Kurdish party seeks breakthrough in Turkey elections
...........The leader of Turkey’s outlawed Kurdish rebels has redoubled his call for an end to armed conflict, as the political party that draws inspiration from him seeks a breakthrough in coming general elections.
The latest appeal from Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), for the PKK to abandon its armed struggle comes as the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic party attempts to transform itself from an ethnic political grouping into a broader leftwing anti-establishment force................
I know I am not the only person that can see that the West's alliance with #Turkey is hampering our fight against ISIS. Because of this alliance the UK has jailed and prosecuted someone who wants to fight ISIS. Yet the UK has treated her as a terrorist. We need to take support the Kurds in their fight against ISIS. The allies armed militant Islamist groups like Hazzm, Jabhat al-Nusra, Islamic Front, Army of Mujahedeen, Jaysh al-Sham, Free Syrian Army, Sham Legion, Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union, and others.
Yet we can jot arm and aide the Kurds who are not Islamist? This is nuts and the World should be pounding on the doors of their governments asking what the hell are they thinking? Are they really that afraid of upsetting their precious allegiance with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey?
- Ian Bach
The independent UK Silhan Ozcelik: 'Disgusting' trial for young kurdish woman who tried to fight against Isis A teenager has appeared in court after allegedly trying to join Kurdish fighters battling Isis in Syria, in the first prosecution of its kind in Britain. Campaigners condemned the prosecution of Silhan Ozcelik, 18, from London, as “disgraceful and disgusting”, however. Ms Ozcelik’s appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court followed her arrested at Stansted Airport in January after returning to Britain on a flight from Germany. The teenager is accused of travelling to Brussels in October last year in a bid to join the guerrilla army in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party – known as the PKK. The organisation is on the Government’s list of banned terror groups. Ms Ozcelik is charged with: “Engaging in conduct in preparation for giving effect to an intention to commit acts of terrorism contrary to section 5 (1) (a) of the Terrorism Act 2006.” In pictures: The rise of Isis She spoke only to confirm her name, age and address during the short hearing, and was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey next month. Late last year, when it emerged she had gone missing from her London home, her brother Engin said: “We are 100 per cent sure she has gone away to carry out humanitarian and charity work and not to become a fighter against [Isis].” As Ms Ozcelik was led away from the dock yesterday she smiled and appeared to mouth “It’s OK” to her brother, who was in the public gallery. Mark Campbell, a pro-Kurdish rights campaigner, described the case against the teenager as “disgraceful” and said: “I almost have no words for how angry I feel.” He added: “These charges should be dropped immediately and this girl should be released.” Mr Campbell claimed the prosecution “clearly seems to be linked” to the news last week that former Royal Marine Konstandinos Erik Scurfield, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was the first Briton to have been killed fighting against Isis in Syria. “It’s a political thing from the British Government because they are concerned that more British people are expressing support for the Kurds’ fight against Isis, because they don’t want to upset their [fellow] Nato member Turkey,” Mr Campbell said. “That is absolutely disgraceful and disgusting.” Even if the allegation is true, “her only motivation was to fight Isis”, he added. “What jury is going to convict somebody who has expressed a desire to defeat this modern day fascism?” While hundreds of Britons are thought to have joined Isis, a growing number are joining the fight against them – mainly within the ranks of Kurdish militia. Up to 50 Britons may have gone to Syria to fight against Isis and President Assad’s regime, according to Dr Afzal Ashraf, a counter-terrorism expert at the Royal United Services Institute. And amid mounting concern over the growing number of foreign fighters on both sides, former Prime Minister Tony Blair warned yesterday that Western governments have not fully grasped the scale of the threat posed by militant Islamism and need to be prepared for a “long haul” to defeat it. “We have not yet understood the depth of this problem, and the need for a comprehensive strategy to deal with it,” he said. “It is not just Islamic State in Iraq and Syria... It is happening day in and day out – there are thousands of people losing their lives every few weeks Here are links to more articles regarding this insane injustice Here and Here
This is a good piece by Falah Mustafa for the Guardian Newspaper in England Here on the frontline of democracy, Kurds are battling not just Isis, but the unfounded fears of our allies that we would use weapons elsewhere.
We Kurds are fighting the barbarians of Isis every single day, for our interests and those of the free world. We share a 650-mile border with Isis militants, and a thousand of our peshmerga fighters have paid the ultimate price. Almost 5,000 have been injured, some very seriously.
We are not asking for foreign combat troops. We will provide the boots on the ground. We are already doing most of the fighting, while the Iraqi army does the rest. But Baghdad is getting most of the foreign military supplies and we are getting the smaller portion. This cannot go on.
We are fighting with one hand tied behind our backs, with light guns against tanks and armoured Humvees that Isis captured from the Iraqi army last year. Many of our soldiers do not even have basic equipment such as helmets, body armour, boots, night goggles and winter coats. The peshmerga will suffer more casualties unless, and until, we have a much greater capacity to defend and hold our positions.
We are for the universal values of freedom and democracy. We have a long history of relations with the UK, and see ourselves as partners of choice. We know that many British citizens admire our efforts to defeat Isis. We are grateful for British military support as well as that of Germany, France, Italy and the rest of the coalition partners.
American, British and other air strikes have been vital. But we urgently need much more than the 40 heavy machine guns supplied so far by the British. We need tanks, armoured cars and heavy artillery and guns to defend ourselves and work with the Iraqi army to dislodge Isis.
A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter launches mortar shells towards Zummar, controlled by Isis. Photograph: Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters
But we feel that supplies of heavy weapons are being restricted and rationed because of some unfounded fears. We will use it against Isis and will always defend our homeland, and have no intention of using them elsewhere. We want and seek peace and cooperation with our partners. We may become independent in the years to come, but that makes it even more important to have good relations with Baghdad. We are pleased that the MPs on Britain’s foreign affairs committee say that independence should be accepted and respected by the UK in certain circumstances.
But that is not an issue for today. We are still trying to work with Baghdad, although they owe us billions and now claim they are bankrupt and cannot pay our soldiers and civil servants. And we are looking after nearly 2 million refugees and displaced people who have fled from Isis. We are proud of our record in giving sanctuary to the victims of Isis, but it is crippling our economy.
We cannot pull our weight without budget payments from Baghdad or loans from friends. It is simply astonishing that Baghdad says it cannot pay us but tried tostop Turkey lending us money.
We cannot pull our weight without heavy weapons either. We cannot keep waiting and drifting with Isis banging on our door every day and wanting to carry out further genocide. The stakes are very high for the Kurds, Baghdad and the rest of the world.
We ask all our friends to provide us with the tools to take on Isis. Yes, we will need to talk to Baghdad about how we live together in the future. But in the meantime, the priority is defeating Isis. We just cannot do it alone.
In Kobane, returning families are eager to start life again. But without a humanitarian corridor, how can conditions improve?
Kurdish people wait at the Mursitpinar border crossing to return to the Syrian city of Kobane on 23 February (AFP)
KOBANE, Syria - “I wanted to help in whatever way I could. I didn’t want to run away to Turkey,” insisted Ramadan, a farmer who had to flee his village in early October when Islamic State (IS) mortars hit his home. Instead of joining the mass exodus of refugees fleeing Syria, he decided to stay and help. “Also, my cow was pregnant at the time.”
Ramadan left his ruined village and brought his cow to Kobane, where he set up camp in a scruffy-looking courtyard on the western outskirts of the city. He slept in a cramped storehouse alongside the cow feed. “She gave birth in this house. For me it was a simple choice: The fighters needed milk, and because most of the cows were slaughtered by IS, I realised providing milk would be my way of supporting the resistance.”
The liberation of Kobane was achieved not just by the much-photographed Popular Protection Unit (YPG/J) fighters, but also by numerous acts of determined resistance by men such as Ramadan. These more modest, less glamorous acts of courage defined the battle for Kobane. Some joined the armed resistance, whilst others like Ramadan chose a different kind of fight.
On 27 January, Kobane was successfully liberated. This was followed by a series of YPG successes in the surrounding countryside and, as a result, Kurds have been trickling back into their ruined city. During the bitter battle, as few as 10,000 people remained in the city of its original 200,000-strong population. Now, however, the local Democratic Union Party (PYD) administration report that 35,000 reside in the city.
Refugees arriving in Kobane
All returning refugees from Turkey are entering through the only functioning border gate, Murşitpınar. On the Kobane side, local Kurdish YPG forces control the border amidst the rubble. In late November, this gate was the scene of one of the most devastating IS bomb attacks, when several Humvees laden with explosives were detonated simultaneously. Now that the battle has receded, fighters gather here each day, waiting for their families to return.
One woman, returning with her whole family from Turkey, spoke to Middle East Eye (MEE) upon her arrival to Kobane. “This is a very emotional moment. To see Kobane with our own eyes is devastating after so many months. But the destruction of the city is nothing compared to the pain inflicted by the lives we have lost.”
Another mother came rushing through the gate, clutching a picture of her 15-year-old boy. Her son had died in the attack on the border gate in late November. “My son will never die!” she cried, tears pouring down her face. “My son will never die!”
Amid the destruction, however, the arrival of weary citizens was met with elation as well as sorrow. To many fighters, the returning of families to Kobane was a particularly proud moment. One fighter, who welcomed his family after being separated from them for five painful months said, “This is what we have been fighting for. Without love for our children and for our family, we couldn’t have won this battle.”
Little remains for returning families
In the immediate aftermath of the war, the city resembled a ghost town. As the gunfire faded into the distance, an eeriness descended on the rubble. “Things didn't quite feel right at first. Not having to worry about snipers was a relief, but it made us realise how empty the city felt,” Mustafa, a local journalist, said. Within weeks though, the city began to spring to life. Children now play freely on the streets, and their shrieks and laughter have replaced the boom and rattle of mortars and machine guns.
However, the administration of Kobane is struggling to cope with the rising number of citizens. The PYD administration has said that 80 percent of the city lies in ruins. In the central and eastern parts of the city, the destruction is total. The old market place, once the heart of city life, is little more than a heap of rubble. People walk around trying to salvage some of their previous possessions, but almost nothing remains. Worst of all, many have no home to return to.
Idriss Nassan, the deputy foreign minister, fled Kobane in late September and only returned to the city when it was liberated. Whilst sitting in his small home in west Kobane, he explained the situation to MEE:
“Families whose homes have been destroyed are being placed in houses in the villages surrounding Kobane, as well as houses in the cities vacated by the owners who haven't returned.” Nassan stressed how quickly people are returning, claiming that on some days, thousands return at a time.
“We have started preparing a refugee camp on the western outskirts of the city, where 1,000 tents will be constructed for 10,000 people. But with the large influx of refugees returning, we cannot cope without outside help.”
Refugees desperate to return
Most villages surrounding the city remain in a deserted, forlorn state with little but IS graffiti and destroyed cars. In some, though, normal life is beginning to return. Hamo, who returned alone but is expecting his family to join him in the coming week, showed MEE around his house. On his porch, an IS warrior had hastily scribbled an ominous message on the wall: “This house belonged to a YPJ fighter who had a Öcalan (de-facto leader of the PKK/YPG) portrait, and who we killed.” Luckily, as Hamo quickly assured us, the fighter - his daughter - had escaped IS hands and is still fighting on the front line.
Kobane currently has no electricity and a shortage of drinking water. Furthermore, with little entering Kobane, they have limited medical and food supplies. An official working at the storehouse said, “We have had enough food to feed the few thousand who stayed behind to defend the city, but we’re struggling to cope with all the people returning now.”
The eagerness with which citizens have decided to return, despite the fact that little is left in Kobane, is striking.
In Turkey, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP) has gone to considerable efforts to make life comfortable for the fleeing Kobane refugees. According to a report released in January, 50,000 refugees have been housed in the Suruç and the neighbouring villages, hosted by sympathetic families. A further 16,000 refugees have been placed in the six refugee camps provided by the DBP party. In the newest of these camps, Şehit Gelhat, children walk in and out of the entrance, playing in the field outside the camp. In the camp headquarters, a hastily constructed concrete block, the administration is currently overseeing the building of a hammam (bathhouse). Volunteers and refugees are working side by side on these projects. A makeshift market has been set up by the residents, and there is a relaxed atmosphere of co-habitation. Children cluster around, demanding that we show off our football skills.
We spoke to one family in temporary tented accommodation about their plans to return to Kobane. “We want to return but unfortunately our home is destroyed," Muhammad said, before showing us photos on his mobile of the rubble where his house had stood. “My brother is a fighter. He sent me these photos.” Muhammad and his family are desperate to return to Kobane but know that, until the city is better equipped, they are better off in Turkey. “The time will come to return but, until help is given to our city, we cannot return.”
Kobane awaits a humanitarian corridor
An unmistakable feature of Kobane now is the pride with which the fighters and locals alike have in their victory. Here, amongst the pain of the martyrs, the desire for freedom with which the Kurdish fighters fought IS, has prevailed. Nevertheless, four months of fighting has scarred the city, and it is hard to imagine the city being rebuilt until a humanitarian corridor is opened.
“For us, a humanitarian corridor is key,” Nassan emphasised. “We cannot rebuild a whole city when an embargo continues.” The embargo, imposed by Turkey, has restricted the flow of goods in and out of Rojava, of which Kobane is one of three cantons. This began long before Kobane was attacked by IS, and has meant that Kobane has essentially been surviving on what it produced, as well as the small trickle of goods which could be smuggled across the border from Turkey.
“Before the war with ISIS, we struggled but we survived,” one citizen, standing outside his destroyed shop in the old market of Kobane explained. “But now, we need to rebuild the city. We cannot smuggle cement across the border. It is vital that a corridor is opened so that citizens can live in their homeland again.”
Until a humanitarian corridor is opened, the rebuilding of the city cannot begin. A temporary camp is under construction, but more outside help is necessary. Their lives, already severely disrupted by the horrors of the conflict, will continue to be haunted by the war unless a corridor is initiated. “These people are the victims of terrorism and they cannot be punished for wanting to return to Kobane,” Nassan stressed. “So why are they being ignored?”
- See more at: http://www.middleeasteye.net/in-depth/features/kobane-families-return-liberated-city-what-awaits-them-1732971428#sthash.zgoSsUb5.dpuf
by Ian Bach Tel Hamees is a town in Syria northeast, near the eastern boarder with iraq.
Town Ethnic makeup: Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Christians, Ezidi, Sunni,
Troops: Peshmerga YPG, YPJ & Assyrians vs ISIS
Strategic Importance: This is a town near the Iraqi boarder it also is along a main supply route that ISIS has been using between Mosul and Raqqa.
Battle outcome: 9 YPG died, dozens of ISIS died, hundreds of hostages were taken by ISIS in neigboring towns, Australian YPG fighter Ashley Johnston died, Kurdish fighters fought even harder after the death of the Aussie and were more brutal than normal to the captured and killed ISIS, most of the ISIS were killed,
Maps:
He was fighting for the Kurdish People's Protection Units
Final moments of the Queensland man were detailed on Facebook
Kurds say Johnston 'sacrificed himself' when tank was encircled by ISIS
'He jumped out of the panzer to cover us', a fellow fighter said
This comes as YPG posted gruesome photos of a slaughter on Facebook
They claim they launched the attack on ISIS to avenge Johnston's death
The final moments of Queensland man Ashley Johnston before he was killed this week while fighting ISIS in northern Iraq have been revealed.
A fellow fighter detailed the last time she spoke to the 28-year-old along with photos of him on The Lions Of Rojava' Facebook page on Friday.
Fighter Bejan Dagli also revealed how Johnston died, saying the Australian 'sacrificed himself' for his comrades.
She was told by a witness: 'The panzer that we were inside was encircled by the ISIS-thugs and he jumped out of the panzer to cover us and break the siege.'
Dagli also recalled how Johnston told her that he fought for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) because he 'couldn't take the children and women that ISIS-thugs slaughtered'.
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The final moments of Queensland man Ashley Johnston (right) have emerged, just before he was killed this week while fighting ISIS in northern Iraq
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A fellow fighter detailed one of the final conversations she had with Johnston, who said that he fought for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) because he 'couldn't take the children and women that ISIS-thugs slaughtered'
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Fellow comrades say Johnston died after a military tank was encircled by ISIS fighters, so the Australian sacrificed himself as he 'jumped out of the panzer to cover us'
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Fighter Bejan Dagli wrote about the final moments of former Australian soldier Ashley Johnston
This comes as Kurdish fighters claim they launched a revenge attack on ISIS to avenge the death of a fallen Australia soldier, posting gruesome images of of rows of dead bodies after the bloody massacre.
It's believed Johnston was fighting with the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) and trying to liberate the ISIS-held town of Tal Hamis in Syria.
When Bejan Dagli, a YPJ fighter, told of her final moments spent with Johnston.
When she asked the former Australian soldier why he was fighting for YPG he said: 'ISIS is a world's problem. I couldn't take the children and women that ISIS-thugs did slaughtered and that's why l have come to Kurdistan.'
Dagli says other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death said that 'he sacrificed himself for us'.
When asked how, one of the comrades responded with tears in her eyes: 'The panzer that we were inside was encircled by the ISIS-thugs and he jumped out of the panzer to cover us that we could break the encirclement and then he got martyred while trying to cover us and break the siege.'
Dagli also released photos she had taken of Johnston just five days before his death and wrote about how he was picking up Kurdish.
'You are very diligent and learn quickly...you have learned a lot in 3 months, it is very good,' she said to him during their final conversation.
To which he simply responded with a smile: 'Okay, good.'
'His last words are still jingling in my ears,' Dagli wrote.
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YPG posted gruesome photos on Facebook of soldiers smiling, hugging and posing with the peace symbol in front of rows of dead bodies. They say the attack was to revenge the death of an Australian soldier
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The Lions of Rojava Facebook page claim the massacre took place in the ISIS-held town Tal Hamis in Syria
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Kurdish fighting group the YPG said one of their 'bravest western fighters Heval Bagok Serhed' had been killed in Iraq while fighting ISIS
This comes after the YPG shared the grotesque images and celebratory message on their 'Lions of Rojava' Facebook page, claiming that the murders by YPG and YPJ were in the name of Ashley Johnston, his family and for Australia.
The YPG & YPJ has killed many ISIS terrorists pigs in Til Hemis,' they wrote.
'Our Comrade from Australia, Heval Bagok Serhed, was martyred during the liberation of Til Hemis.'
They gloated that the slaughter was a form of payback for Johnston, who they refer to as a 'martyr'. In the images soldiers hug, smile and pose with the peace symbol.
'We took revenge for Heval Bagok, for his family, Australia and the world. His comrades says that it was a revenge for him and his family.'
Ashley Johnston, 28, originally from Maryborough, Queensland but had most recently been living in Canberra, was remembered by friends and colleagues from an Australian army rifle brigade as 'a good man' and 'the best mate'.
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The YPG shared the gruesome images on Facebook with a message proclaiming that the attack was to avenege the death of 'martyr' Australian soldier Ashley Johnston
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It is understood that Johnston is the first foreign casualty from the Kurdish People's Protection Unit. This image was posted with the images of the massacre in Syria
It is understood that Johnston is the first foreign casualty from the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG).
'Defence is aware that a former Australian Army Reserve member is believed to have been killed in northern Iraq while allegedly fighting with Peshmerga forces against Daesh,' the ADF said in a statement.
'Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, Defence will not release further information about the former member’s military service or their personal details.'
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Ashley Johnston (front, second from right) has been remembered by his friends as the 'best mate'
His Australian friends and former comrades paid tribute to him on Facebook.
'RIP Digger,' wrote Dan McGuire.
'A great bloke and a best mate,' posted Lach Key.
'Taken too soon, rest easy digger,' said Joshua Crisp.
'Heavy. Feel for his family,' added Matt Crisp.
It has been reported that the the young man, who also went by the name 'Heval Bagok Serhed', died on February 24.
Johnston was reportedly killed after he became outnumbered when a truck he was travelling in broke down in a small village near Shingal, close to Iraq's border with Syrian Kurdistan.
Social media was flooded with tributes from Johnston's grieving friends and fellow servicemen.
Johnston's Australian mates remembered him as 'a great bloke and a best mate' who was a Brisbane Broncos supporter and loved Indian Jones, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones.
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The man (left) - named only as Ashley on social media - has been described by his friend Aram Ebrahimkhas (right) as a 'good man' and said it was an honour to have served with him
The news was first confirmed by the YPG on social media.
'We the YPG regretfully inform you of the death of one of our bravest western fighters Heval Bagok Serhed. He is the first western fighter to be martyred fighting the evil of ISIS. Rest in Peace our Brother,' a statement on The Lions Of Rojava' Facebook page said on Thursday.
The Lions of Rojava are a band of volunteers that help recruit soldiers to the YPG.
The armed wing of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party said they could not disclose the Australian's real identity as of yet for security reasons but in his fighting group in Rojava 'he went by the name of Heval Bagok Serhed'. They also posted a photo of the man they say has been killed.
The YPG are in conflict with ISIS fanatics in Iraq and Syria. The militants claim that they are working to stop the advance of the destructive Islamic State and protect the Kurdish people.
'He was a real hero,' his friend Aram Ebrahimkhas told Daily Mail Australia..
'Ashley was a good man who never complained and was always positive.
'He came to defend his country even when his country labeled him a criminal for doing so and before his country was willing to defend itself.
'I consider it a honour to have known and served with him’
US man Robert Rose also wrote a tribute on Facebook, describing his experience with Johnston as they both fought with the Kurds against Islamic State.
'RIP to my heval (friend) Ash," Mr Rose wrote.
'He was the first 1 when I got in country to teach the basics of my Ak 47 how to strip it assemble it and how to zero it, he was a great guy this really hurts I really feel bad for his family and friends.'
The Lions Of Rojava said in a statement: 'What we can disclose is his story of heroism and self-sacrifice for the Kurdish people. Throughout his time in Kurdistan he had a positive impact on my people's lives though his humility and kindness to everyone he met.
'He was taken from us in a heroic assault on ISIS positions in a small village near Shingal. His squad of eight fighters were in a truck which had broken down and it was critical that they dislodge ISIS from their positions so they pushed on fearlessly with little regard for their own safety.
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The Lions of Rojava, a band of volunteers that help recruit soldiers to the YPG, claimed he was 'outnumbered and outgunned'
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The Australian - named only as Ashley on social media – reportedly died on February 24 in a small village near Shingal in Iraq, close to the border with Syrian Kurdistan
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The Lions of Rojava posted this tribute to the Australian man they claim has been killed while fighting for them
'They were massively outnumbered and outgunned but fearless in the face of this as they knew another ISIS death meant saving the lives of countless civilians. He was a fearless and exceptional soldier as well a great man,' the Facebook statement read.
In a touching tribute to the Australian, the group said: 'Please keep his family and loved ones in your prayers and remember him and his heroic actions, which saved his comrades. He has given his life in the line of duty for his brothers in arms and for humanity in riding this world of the greatest evil of the 21st century. ISIS.
'Long live the resistance of the YPG/YPJ and long live the memory of Heval bagok serhed!! Kurdish People will never forget you and you will live in our heart forever.' There are unconfirmed reports that a second YPG foreign fighter has also been killed. The nationality of the second casualty is not known.
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The Kurdish group posted these photos along with a tribute which read: 'Please keep his family and loved ones in your prayers and remember him and his heroic actions'
The spokesperson added: 'Current and former members of the Australian Defence Force, like all Australian citizens, are subject to Australian law under which it is an offence to participate in military activities in a foreign country.'
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia told Daily Mail Australia: 'We are aware of reports that an Australian male has reportedly been killed in northern Syria (on Tuesday 24 Feb). The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that an Australian volunteer fighting with Kurdish forces against Da'esh (Islamic State) militia was killed in Syria.'
'The Australian Government's capacity to confirm reports of deaths in either Syria or Iraq is extremely limited,' DFAT said.
'Due to the extremely dangerous security situation, consular assistance is no longer available within Syria. Australians who become involved in overseas conflicts are putting their own lives in mortal danger.
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John Foxx, an American claiming to be one of the Australian's colleagues, also posted a tribute on Facebook
'Any Australians fighting with non-state militia in Syria or Iraq should end their involvement in the conflict now and leave the conflict zone. Australians are strongly advised not to travel to Syria or Iraq; any Australians in either country should leave immediately. For further information, please see www.smartraveller.gov.au.'
The young man's sister was reportedly notified of his death on Tuesday, according to Kurdish journalist Cesur Milsuoy.
'Reliable sources confirmed to SOHR that the foreign fighter in YPG ranks who died yesterday in clashes with IS militants… is from Australia,' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
John Foxx, an American claiming to be a fellow fighter along with the Australian, posted a tribute on Facebook.
'Received some terrible news this morning... K.I.A. Ash, Bagok. Rest Easy, brother,' he wrote, accompanied by a photo purportedly of the Australian victim.
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March of death: Clad all in black, the Islamic State killers have become synonymous with death in the region
A woman named Kader Kandandir, thought to be involved in the recruitment of foreign fighters, also posted a series of photos in tribute to Ashley.
It is understood that the mystery woman runs the 'Lions of Rojava' Facebook page, which is a significant recruitment tool.
Ms Kandandir also posted text that she claims was written by Heval Bagok Serhed.
In the article he allegedly writes: 'Vital info for people interested in coming here to help the Kurdish people. I spent 7 years in my country's Army reserve (Rifleman and section level combat medic), I only deployed on peacekeeping operations and though I enjoyed my time in the Army it was mostly pretty uneventful.'
The note continues: 'I am writing this because in my short time here so far I am absolutely disgusted by the amount of westerners that feel the need to either inflate or completely bulls**t their resumé.
'There are a good number of people here with actual military experience from all over the globe that CAN AND WILL immediately spot you as a fake (all the COD in the world won't hide you're complete lack of basic soldiering).
'If you have no military experience yet have skills that can be utilised and the right attitude then don't worry, be honest and the guys here will glady get you up to speed as best they can. Lieing about yourself over here is not only selfish but incredibly stupid.
'The Kurdish people are some of the most kind and trusting people I've ever met and your lies will get people killed. 'This isn't a playground to live some fantasty/play soldier...it's a f**king war torn region with countless people suffering, dieing and being displaced.
'Coming here full of bulls**t and for selfish reasons is a waste of everyone's time, effort and money and will simply get you a kick in the a*** back to the airport.'
They YPG proclaim themselves to be 'a natural partner in a coalition the United States is trying to assemble to fight Islamic State militants.'
In an interview with Vanity Fair , an American revealed an Australian fighter was lightly injured when a mortar 'landed in our faces'.
Under Australian law, it is illegal to join either side of the conflict in Syria, meaning those joining the fight with YPG are committing a criminal offence.
'If you fight illegally in overseas conflicts, you face up to life in prison upon your return to Australia,' a spokesperson for Attorney-General George Brandis said in January.
'It is illegal to fight in Syria for either side of the conflict. It is illegal to fight for a terrorist organisation anywhere, including in Iraq.'
Around 90 Australians are understood to have travelled to the Middle East to join militant causes.
Australians may only fight for a government's legitimate armed force and the Kurds are not recognised as operating in an official capacity for Iraq.
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Injured in Iraq: Matthew Kawolski was fighting alongside the Chappies - a unit of Westerners within the Syria-based People's Protection Units (YPG), when he was apparently hurt in combat
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Injured: Kawolski, who is among a slew of foreigners fighting ISIS in the region, is recovering from his injuries, which were detailed in the Facebook page for the foreign fighters group the Lions of Rojava
Kurdish fighters are thought to be using social media to recruit Westerners to travel to the Middle East.
Several foreigners have travelled to the Middle East from all corners of the world to confront the bloodthirsty Islamic State.
Last week, an American man called Matthew Kawolski was injured when fighting alongside the Chappies.
Kawolski, who was apparently wounded in combat, is now believed to be recovering from his injuries.
Also pictured alongside Kawolski on the Lions of Rojava page is Jordan Matson, a 28-year-old food packaging worker from Sturtevant, Wisconsin. He is a former U.S. Army soldier, but it is believed he had never served overseas.
Last week, a British soldier who left to fight alongside militants described ISIS as little more than 'office workers and villagers' who are high on drugs because they are so terrified.
Jamie Read from Lanarkshire, Scotland, served in the British Army for four years before travelling to Syria in 2014 to join the battle against Islamic State extremists.
Last August, a hairdresser from south London, known as Mama Kurda, 26, from Croydon, was reported to be the first Briton to travel to fight alongside Kurdish forces.
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Warrior: Jamie Read (left and right) from Lanarkshire, Scotland, served in the British Army for four years before travelling to Syria in 2014 to join the battle against extremists
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Battle: Jordan Matson, a former soldier for the US Army, is another American serving in the fight against ISIS
Two women, Canadian Jew Gill Rosenberg, 31, and Danish Kurd Joanna Palani, 20, have also reportedly travelled to fight with the Kurds, inspired perhaps by the images of female fighters on the front line against Islamic State terrorists.
In early February a Dutch citizen, Richard Jansen, who went to fight with Kurdish forces was seriously injured in a fight against IS militants.
He reportedly suffered 'a very serious injury sustained during heavy fighting against ISIL'.
There are also claims that a number of European biker gangs have travelled to Syria and are helping the resistance.
Leaders of the Cologne-based Median Empire Motorcycle Club, which has strong Kurdish links, have posted images of their German riders posing in the city - some of them carrying weapons.
A notorious motorcycle gang from the Netherlands were also told they had not committed any crime by travelling to Kobani to join the fight against ISIS.
Former Northern Territory Labor Party official Matthew Gardiner recently left Australia to fight with Kurdish military.
He held the roles of secretary of the United Voice union and president of the NT branch of the Labor party.
Labor party leader Bill Shorten said that although it was clear Gardiner felt strongly about fighting the Islamic State, fleeing to the conflict was not the right approach.
The Australian Federal Police has confirmed it is investigating the case after the former NT union official and senior NT Labor Party figure fled without telling colleagues or his family.
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Volunteer: NT Labour Party leader Matthew Gardiner has left Australia to reportedly join the fight with YGP
It is understood the 43-year-old, who recently resigned as NT United Voice union secretary, was heading for Iraq or Syria where he plans to join Kurdish militants.
Gardiner, who has an army background, was allowed to leave the country because he was not on any watch list, ABC reported.
The AFP would only confirm Gardiner was the subject of an active investigation.
'The AFP is aware of this matter,' an AFP spokesperson said on Sunday.
'As this matter is part of an ongoing investigation it is not appropriate to comment further.'
A union spokesperson would only confirm Mr Gardiner had recently resigned, and said any further questions should be put the AFP.
Mr Gardiner is also head of the NT Labor Party, though his status in this role remains unclear.
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Foreigners: Around 90 Australians are understood to have travelled to the Middle East to join militant causes
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Dedicated: Volunteers from around the world have reportedly headed to Iraq or Syria where they join Kurdish militants in their fight against IS
