Swedes fight IS – Aftonbladet

Conflict. Jesper south left a secure existence in Sweden as a student mentor.

The aim: to wage war against extremist group Islamic State (IS).

He is one of the many Swedes who have voluntarily chosen to participate in conflicts around the world.

With the help of contacts in the Kurdish guerrillas YPG took Jesper south into the country to fight with the rebels. The driving force behind the decision was a mixture of anger and moral conviction.

– I’ve always been a person who thinks that everyone should have the right to be where they are, regardless of religion. It was because I felt sorry for the civilians down there and saw what happened. The anger in me was awakened, for I am a human lover. I wanted to defend them, I wanted to stop the IS for what they did, he said.

500 Westerners

Some 500 westerners battles YPG in Syria, or contribute in other ways such as logistics , according to its political branch PYD in Sweden. There’s even a foreign entity “Rojavas lion”, with soldiers from all over the world who fight against IS.

Five of these are said to be Swedes.

And neither the FBI or the Swedish police records of Swedes contrary Non terror stamped organizations, but according to estimates are at least 30 Swedes in Ukraine. About as many, almost exclusively with Somali roots, have traveled to Somalia to participate in the conflict there. Of those who breach IS has many Kurdish origin.

– We do not recommend anyone to go down to fight. We encourage them to help with aid or other ways, says Zanyar Kadir, the Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in Stockholm.

Compare with Spain

His Brown, terror researchers tied to King’s College London, doing a historical analogy:

– Those who go down and struggling against the Islamic state should probably be compared to those who went to Spain during the civil war there. I can not remember that we had any conflict that has involved so much in modern times.

But some 300 Swedes also believed to have traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight with terror stamped IS. They are driven, however, by other motives than idealism, according to Hans Brun. He compares the IS-warriors with the Swedes who fought for Hitler during World War II.

– There are huge similarities between the SS-volunteers and IS-volunteers. SS strove for racial purity and was based on a policy that was to exterminate certain groups. IS is based on a religious purity and also has a policy that seeks to exterminate or expel certain groups.

Jesper south fought against the jihadists in two months, but after being damaged by an exploding mine, he returned to Sweden .

Although he was injured he does not hesitate. Jesper South is willing to return for further battles.