British woman fighting for Kurdish ‘women’s army’ is killed in Syria after Turkish bombard

Anna Campbell, 26, from Lewes in East Sussex, died on March 15 during in the city of Afrin, which was heavily bombarded by Turkish forces.

The Turks have been battling Kurdish groups inside Syria close to the Turkish border since January.

Ms Campbell travelled to Syria in May of last year to help the Kurds in their fight against the so-called Islamic State.

Speaking to the BBC, her father Dirk, who described her as “idealistic” and “determined”, added: “She wanted to create a better world and she would do everything in her power to do that.

“I told her of course that she was putting her life in danger, which she knew full well she was doing.

“I feel I should have done more to persuade her to come back, but she was completely adamant.”

In travelling to the war-torn country, Ms Campbell, who was a qualified plumber in the UK, defied British police warnings that anybody becoming involved with any armed group there risked arrest and prosecution.

Ms Campbell apparently became involved in fighting with the YPJ, which stands for Yekîneyên Parastina Jin, meaning Women’s Protection Units, in the Deir-ez-Zor region, the last stronghold of IS.

However, in an illustration of how complex the situation is, Turkish forces launched a major offensive against the Kurds along the northern Syrian border.

As a result, many Kurdish fighters travelled to Afrin to fight the Turks instead, with Ms Campbell joining them.

Mr Campbell said he had been told her Kurdish comrades tried to stop her going, fearing the blonde, blue-eyed young woman would stand out – but she had dyed her hair black and persuaded them to take her with them.

He added: “I contacted my MP Maria Caulfield as soon as I knew she was in danger from the Turkish bombardment.

“I emailed my MP and said my daughter is in danger, you have to get on to the Foreign Office and get them to put pressure on Turkey to stop.”

Turkey believes the YPJ and the YPG, or Yekîneyên Parastina Gel, or People’s Protection Groups, is connected with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a link which the Kurds deny.

YPJ commander in Syria, Nesrin Abdullah, said Ms Campbell had “insisted” on travelling to Afrin.

She added: “Although we tried to keep her far from the frontlines, the attacks from the Turkish state were very heavy.”

Miss Campbell is the first British woman in Syria killed while fighting for the YPJ or YPG. Seven British men have already died helping the groups.

Mr Campbell, who only heard the tragic news yesterday, said his daughter had been inspired by the Kurdish aim of creating a democratic society after the defeat of IS.

He said: “This seemed to her to be the way the world should be.

“The social organisation at all levels, the equality. She wanted to help protect that.”