"I am Woman. Hear Me Roar!"

Islamic State fighters in Kobani  on the Turkish border,  face a new breed of women - female warriors in the Kurdish Defence Force.  These brave soldiers, deprived of sleep and food, armed with only a Kalashnikov, have fought alongside their men for more than a year.  One commander, 28 year old Avshin Kobani,  (Kobani is not her real name - she chose this "nom de guerre"  when she enlisted)  said:  "Isis are monsters, but we are not afraid.  I know I will be beheaded if caught but as a girl, I have to defend my home town.  It should not be left just to the men."

Listening to their stories is like watching an Arnold Schwarzenegger "Terminator" movie.  The human race battles armies of robots determined to wipe out the last trace of human existence.  Fearsome, relentless, without mercy - but still the humans fight on in the rubble of their cities, towns and villages - for freedom ....... and survival.

Morale among the Kurds is high, especially after an intensive campaign of airstrikes by the coalition helped them push ISIS militants back.  For the moment, Kurdish Defence Force controls 90% of Kobani and if they succeed in liberating the town, it will be a huge propaganda blow against Islamic State.  Some observers believe that the jihadists fear the Kurdish women more than the men.  Why?  Because they believe their place in paradise will be in jeopardy if they are killed by a woman.

Avshin Kobani noted:  "We see them through telescopes when we are on the front line .....  they have no tactics or strategies.  They fight like monsters, just attacking and attacking".  Before the invasion, Kobani had planned to go to university, get married and have children.  Now, her dreams are on pause.  But her unconquerable spirit and dedicated sense of duty drive her forward:  "All that I want to do now is to save my people".