PBS traveled to Iraqi Kurdistan to meet a Kurdish all-female unit is on the front lines of the battle with the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Stories about Kurdish female fighters have recently become popular in Western media, but this exclusive interview by PBS shows a unique perspective of the Kurdish female fighters on the front lines against ISIS.
In the video, you will see footage from Sulaymaniyah, a modern city in Iraqi Kurdistan where women are treated with equality. The second half of the video is an interview PBS did with a Kurdish female fighter named Baritun, a 27 year old sniper in the all-female unit.
“When I fight against them [the Islamic State], I feel stronger, empowered, because when they see women they go weak at the knees,” said Baritun. “According to their belief, they must not be killed by a woman. When they see us, they prefer to run away, not to be killed by us.” Watch the whole video below.
