Westerners have flown to Iraq to join an Iraqi Christian militia to fight the Islamic State. Dwekh Nawsha, connected mainly to the Assyrian political party, is determined to fight ISIS back.
Dwekh Nawsha is “self-sacrifice” in the Assyrian language, which some Christians in the region still speak.
Brett, 28, is an ex-American soldier who fought in Iraq back in 2006. Now he returns for another fight, the fight against the Islamic State, which he believes is a Biblical war between good and evil.
“It’s very different,” he said, when asked how the experiences compared. “Here I’m fighting for a people and for a faith, and the enemy is much bigger and more brutal.”
Dwekh Nawsha’s main focus is now on the villages surrounding Mosul, since the majority of the population are Christians.
Brett added: “These are some of the only towns in Nineveh where church bells ring. In every other town the bells have gone silent, and that’s unacceptable.”
He has “The King of Nineveh” written in Arabic on the front of his army vest.
Tim is another man who travelled through Dubai and Kurdistan to reach the city of Dohuk. “I’m here to make a difference and hopefully put a stop to some atrocities,” said 38-year-old. Then he added: “I’m just an average guy from England really.”
Photo Credits: Public Broadcasting Service
