In homage to the Kurdish women who fought ISIS, by Nancy LeTourneau.

[pnwmom]

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2019/10/18/in-homage-to-the-kurdish-women-who-fought-isis/

I was reminded that over the last few years, we’ve heard stories about the bravery of the Kurdish women (members of the YPJ, or Women’s Protection Units) who were fighting ISIS. That was particularly true during the siege of Kobani, which has been described as “one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the campaign against the militant group.” Here is what Newsha Tavakolian learned about the women who fought.

It's not just the battle against ISIS that brings these young women to a spare military camp in Syria, a half hour away from the front lines…The desire to break free from the macho Middle East was so strong that rural girls volunteered to join the YPJ, where they developed into soldiers ready to put their lives on the line. “In the past, women had various roles in the society, but all those roles were taken from them,” says 18-year-old Saria Zilan. “We are here now to take back the role of women in society.”

[abqtommy]

1. All the Kurds have a lot of moxie but the women have the biggest share.