Kurdish women have joined the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq. The aim: to destroy the so-called caliphate.

Hundreds of Kurdish female fighters have sacrificed their lives at home in Iran to join the fight against the Islamic State (IS or Daesh) in northern Iraq. They train at an all-female training camp under the command of the Kurdish Freedom Party (PAK), an Iranian separatist group that has spent decades trying to gain independence for Kurdistan.

In Iran, the PAK struggles against the Iranian government, which deems it to be a terrorist group. But despite their inland opposition, these women remain devoted to their ultimate goal: defeating Daesh. They refuse to let any obstacle interfere with defending their rights, including fear of IS. Rather than being intimidated, the group is motivated by the Islamic State’s brutality to remain committed to defending their homeland, especially for women within Iraq.

Women have been enslaved by IS militants, who believe in the suppression of human rights. They are forced to follow an extreme dress code in which their hands must not even be exposed, and they also fall subordinate to men, with many subject to cruel treatment.

But some women find attraction to the radical ideology. A study by Mia Bloom from Georgia State University revealed that between 1985 and 2010, female terrorists were involved in more than 257 suicide attacks.

The unit of Kurdish female fighters stands against all members of the so-called caliphate, and it aims to regain independence and power for women.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

Photo Credit: Lena Ha