Kurdish Female Soldier Gains Internet Fame for Allegedly Killing More than 100 ISIS Jihadis

Kurdish Female Soldier Gains Internet Fame for Allegedly Killing More than 100 ISIS Jihadis
Frances Martel

A woman known as “Rehana” has become a hero across the internet as news spread that the Kobani soldier has reportedly killed more than 100 Islamic State terrorists single-handedly.

Rehana became famous in Kurdish Twitter circles after a photo of her giving a peace sign began to circulate on the social network.

Rehana has killed more than a hundred #ISIS terrorists in #Kobane . RT and make her famous for her bravery pic.twitter.com/YvmfXMpuu1

— Pawan Durani (@PawanDurani) October 13, 2014

According to the International Business Times, Rehana is a YPJ (Kurdish female Peshmerga) soldier under the command of famed female soldier Mayssa Abdo, who herself has become famous for running the operation to keep the Syrian border town of Kobani out of the hands of the Islamic State. Shortly after this photo of Rehana began to circulate, rumors followed that she had been killed in battle, none of which have been confirmed independently by news sources. 

Rehana is one of many Female Kurdish soldiers who have become the front lines in the battle against the Islamic State. Islamic State jihadists believe that their martyrdom will not result in the promised gifts of the afterlife should they die at the hands of a woman, making the YPJ particularly indispensable against this enemy. YPJ units fight in both Syria and Iraq, and regularly post to social media to report on their successes in battle. 
 

It is estimated that up to 10,000 women fight in the Peshmerga forces, though estimates vary. In an interview with BBC, Col. Nahida Ahmed described their daily training as intensive and noted that many had battle experience even before organizing against the Islamic State in recent months.

The fight to keep Kobani, a border town that would allow for almost complete border access between Syria and Turkey, out of the hands of the Islamic State, has been arduous and bloody. Witnesses that have escaped the town recall streets lined with severed heads and Islamic State terrorists gouging the eyes out of Kurdish civilians. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly claimed that airstrikes by the United States and allies would not be enough to save the city, though without offering any help to those on the ground (instead bombing targets essential to the Kurds).

Despite Erdogan’s claims, however, it appears that the coalition strikes have made a difference, due in large part to the organization of the Kurdish soldiers on the ground. According to Reuters, the Islamic State has had to retreat from a number of Kobani streets to avoid the airstrikes, allowing greater mobility for Kurdish forces.

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