PHOTOS: Kurdish Female Peshmerga Fighters Take On Islamic State

The Iraqi Kurdistan military, known as the Peshmerga, boast hundreds of female recruits fighting the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).

“We are here to serve the Peshmerga,” Hadia Saeed told Rudaw. “When they need us during the hardship we will help them, especially the wounded.”

https://twitter.com/wokekid/status/668577745417412609

Another woman told Rudaw she is not scared, “as long as I am with these great comrades.” At least 200 female fighters are in Sinjar to guard the city from ISIS. In June, Rudaw estimated the number at about 500 specially trained female forces in its ranks, though depleted resources following extensive battles with the Islamic State has forced the Kurdish government to limit female recruitment. “The number of female Peshmerga is underrepresented in the military forces, there should be as many female Peshmerga as there are males,” lamented Peshmerga Colonel Nahida Ahmed in July.

Even though they are in a war zone against ISIS, these Kurdish women are always smiling. pic.twitter.com/xrmDU21Wb7

— Dr Partizan (@Dr_Partizan) November 30, 2015

Heroines. #Kurdish women fight against ISIS terrorists. #داعش #YPJ #PKK pic.twitter.com/glpSLASQaD

— Dilber (@Dilberkurd) November 26, 2015

“We make no difference between our Peshmerga, whether they are males or females,” stated one male commander. “When we are setting plans, (the female fighters) are usually part of them.”

A female Kurdish fighter destroys an ISIS sign showing how women should dress in northeast Syria. pic.twitter.com/DGI8HeQWZZ

— Yousra Elbagir (@YousraElbagir) November 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/Jenn_Abrams/status/668889032907067392

These Kurdish women are on the frontlines of humanity, fighting ISIS. They need the world to support them. pic.twitter.com/gnGIHrfT8m

— Dr Partizan (@Dr_Partizan) November 23, 2015

The Kurdish Women Battling ISIS pic.twitter.com/yHfWiOs8XZ

— Internet Palace (@InternetPalace) November 22, 2015

#Respect MT @ILNewsFlash Kurdish WOMEN stayed behind to fight, While millions of fighting age Syrian men fled to EU https://t.co/HgZdghLsa2

— हम भारत के लोग (@India_Policy) November 30, 2015

“Facing off with these well-armed brutes takes guts,” wrote Florian Neuhof for Al-Arabiya. “The women display their courage with none of the bravado and macho posturing that is often found in the trenches that stretch from Kobane to Kirkuk. Instead, they simply go about their duty, or sit together drinking tea, laughing and joking within easy mortar range of the enemy.”