Skip to main content

Foreign volunteer unit fights to save lives in Syria

In northern Syria, a group of volunteer Western combat medics assists the wounded in battles against the Islamic State.
YekîneyênBijîşkîTaktîkî.jpg

HASAKAH, Syria — In northern Syria, a group of Western volunteers is trying to bring combat medics into the fight against the Islamic State (IS).

In September, when northern Syria was still hot enough for sand flies to bite, John Harding sat at a makeshift table of plywood and concrete bricks at a former dairy that is now a base for the People’s Protection Units (YPG). He was telling his favorite story from his second tour serving as a volunteer alongside YPG and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting IS.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.