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Shutterstock/Oleg Zabielin

British soldier who went to Syria to fight ISIS found and returned to unit

The 19-year-old told his family he was joining the Kurdish fighters because ‘these guys need our help’.

A BRITISH SOLDIER who left his army base in Cyprus to join Kurdish fighters battling against Islamic State militants has been found and is being returned to his unit.

The 19-year-old said he travelled to the Middle East to fight with the Kurds because he wanted to help them.

He was based with the 2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. Military sources told The Telegraph that he is now “safe and well”.

Sky News reports that he told his parents about his plans in text messages, which read:

“I don’t know how to explain it to you but I really want and need to do this and I will be safe.

I’m so sorry to put you through this but I do good, I will get in trouble for being AWOL but it’s minor and no prison sentence.

The unnamed soldier was not officially AWOL as he was on leave.

His parents have now released a statement saying, ”The sense of relief on being told our son is in safe hands has been overwhelming.

It has been an emotionally gruelling few days and we have been beside ourselves with worry. We are just so grateful to know he is safe.
It’s understood that he was  fighting alongside a group called Lions Of Rojava.

Read: Teen found with 12-inch knife and hammer “rapidly developed an extremist, violent mindset”>

 

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Cliodhna Russell
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