A Kurdish female fighters' story has gone viral after a Twitter post claimed that she had allegedly killed more than 100 Islamic State terrorists single-handedly in the battle for Kobani, prompting social media users to hail her as a hero.
"Rehana has killed more than a hundred #ISIS terrorists in #Kobane. RT and make her famous for her bravery," Pawan Durani posted on Monday, including a photo that features her holding up a peace sign at the camera, according to Breitbart.
Shortly after Rehana's photo was released, rumors began to circulate that she had been killed in battle, with one graphic image purportedly showing her beheading. However, neither her death nor the number of ISIS militants she has allegedly killed have been verified independently by news sources.
The fight to keep Kobani, a border town that would allow for almost complete border access between Syria and Turkey, out of the hands of the Islamic State, has so far proven to be arduous and bloody.
Belonging to the Yekineyen Parastina Jin, or Women Protection Units (YPJ), an operative unit in both Syria and Iraq fighting to keep the Syrian border town of Kobani out of the hands of ISIS militants, Rehana has reportedly been working under the command of famed female soldier Mayssa Abdo, who has gained popularity as the YPJ leader.
The YPJ is an all-female, independent militia, which at the frontline embrace arms along with their male "comrades" of the People's Protection Units, according to International Business Times.
The contingency gained international attention after one of YPJ's fighters, 20-year-old Dilar Gencxemis, blew herself up in the midst of a Kobani battle, killing as many as 23 ISIS fighters.
"Islamic State jihadists believe that their martyrdom will not result in the promised gifts of the afterlife should they die at the hands of a woman, making the YPJ particularly indispensable against this enemy," according to Breitbart.
In what appears as a desperate fight for survival for Kurdish forces, an estimated 10,000 female Peshmerga fighters are being relied upon to protect and save the town. Col. Nahida Ahmed described YPS's daily training as intensive, also noting that many fighters had battle experience even before organizing against the Islamic State in recent months, he said in an interview with BBC.
