TV Report on Yazidi Women Joining the Combat against ISIS

Sky News Arabia broadcast a report on Yazidi women who have taken up arms in order to fight ISIS. As one fighter put it, "the Yazidis have been suffering war crimes and crimes against humanity at the hands of the ISIS terrorists, who have been kidnapping and raping thousands of Yazidi women." Driven by a desire for revenge, the women undergo military training and fight on the front lines alongside their male counterparts. The report aired on February 15.

Following are excerpts:

Voice of reporter: 28-year-old Seyfe Khalaf is one of dozens of Yazidi girls who are undergoing military training in light and medium weapons, and who joined the Peshmerga forces, in order to reclaim their lands from ISIS in Iraq. She says that the crimes of mass murders perpetrated by ISIS, and the kidnapping of thousands of Yazidi women to be sold on the markets, are what prompted her to take up arms and join the Kurdish forces.

Seyfe Khalaf: The Yazidis have been suffering war crimes and crimes against humanity at the hands of the ISIS terrorists, who have been kidnapping and raping thousands of Yazidi women.

Yazidi female fighter: We want to exact a powerful revenge from ISIS, which committed heinous crimes against Yazidi men and women, who are still being raped, tortured, and enslaved by ISIS.

Reporter: According to the commander of the female battalion, her soldiers have undergone intensive daily training and are now ready to fight. Some have fought shoulder to shoulder with their male comrades on the front lines.

Female commander of Yazidi female fighters: The battalion is composed of 500 female Yazidi volunteers. The battalion is well trained and prepared to defend its areas. It was decided to form a special female regiment composed of Yazidi girls.

Reporter: In addition to training in defense and attack, these female forces are tasked with monitoring the movements of ISIS militants. They are demanding more weapons in order to win the war against ISIS.

Other Female Yazidi fighter: We call on the international coalition to supply us with modern weapons, in order to liberate our lands from ISIS. We also call on the international bodies and organizations to recognize the crimes perpetrated by ISIS against us as mass murder.

Reporter: The female Yazidis fighters are very eager to fight the ISIS militants. They say that the main goal behind the establishment of this battalion is to show that Yazidi women are playing a role in fighting ISIS, and in driving it out of Yazidi areas still under its control.