LONDON: A British man fighting alongside Kurds against Daesh in Syria has been killed during the push to liberate Raqqa, his family said on Tuesday.
Sniper Jac Holmes, from Bournemouth in southern England, who was fighting with the Kurdistan People’s Protection Units, was clearing mines on Monday when he died, his mother told the Press Association.
“He stood up for what he believed in and he had the courage of his convictions to go out and do something where he thought that the West were not doing enough,” said Angie Blannin.
“To defeat ISIS (Daesh) he felt that it was not just a Syrian problem, or Middle Eastern problem, it was a world problem,” she said of the 24-year-old.
Kurdish officials told her that her son had been clearing mines in the city, despite being a sniper.
“It is all a bit sketchy but I am guessing he stepped on a land mine or one went off close to him, or it was a suicide vest.”
Blannin said she had initially tried to talk her son, a former painter and decorator, out of going to fight IS (Daesh) in 2015, but described him as “very headstrong.”
He fought alongside Kurdish soldiers and had previously suffered a gunshot wound.
“I am extremely proud of him. All my family are incredibly proud,” his mother told PA.
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that the end of Daesh “caliphate is in sight” with the fall of Raqqa.
The declaration came four days after US-backed Kurdish-led forces recaptured the city, the capital of Daesh’s self-proclaimed caliphate and its last major stronghold in Syria.
Briton fighting against Daesh killed in Raqqa
Briton fighting against Daesh killed in Raqqa
Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
- Bomber kills soldier in Aleppo, detonates explosives injuring 2 others
ALEPPO, DAMASCUS: The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a Daesh plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo.
The ministry said in a statement that, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts and careful monitoring of Daesh cells in cooperation with partner agencies, it had received intelligence indicating plans for suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations in several provinces, particularly Aleppo, with a focus on churches and civilian gathering areas.
The ministry added that it took preemptive measures, including reinforcing security around churches, deploying mobile and fixed patrols, and setting up checkpoints across the city.
During operations at a checkpoint in Aleppo’s Bab Al-Faraj district, security forces intercepted a suspected Daesh member who opened fire. One internal security soldier was killed, and the attacker detonated explosives, injuring two others.
Daesh recently increased its attacks in Syria, and was blamed for an attack last month in Palmyra that killed three Americans.
On Dec. 13, two US soldiers and an American civilian were killed in an attack Washington blamed on a lone Daesh gunman in Palmyra.
In retaliation, American forces struck scores of Daesh targets in Syria.
Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of the group.
