Kurds of the Caliphate

Kurds of the Caliphate For over a year Kurdish forces have united in defence against bloody IS attacks. So how have Islamic State still managed to recruit hundreds of young Kurds to fight for the Caliphate against their own families?
"There are Kurdish families in Halabja whose sons are in IS and their hearts are broken, but I'll never go to their funerals", says the grieving mother of Kaihan Borhan, a Kurd who died fighting with the Peshmarga against IS. Her family is distraught that the people responsible for his death could well be Kurdish nationals. "I have a friend whose brother died fighting for ISIS", says Kaihan's brother. "I never grieved for him and my friend cannot bear to look me in the eye." In this report we see the path to extremism that many Kurds have taken. Dissatisfaction at the Kurdish Intelligence service, Asayish's persecution of Muslims and domestic grievances are being skilfully exploited by IS propaganda, led by Khattab Al-Kurdi and his Saladin Brigade. "With God's permission we will sow the seeds of the Caliphate throughout our land", says the Kurdish Khattab, who has been one of the most persuasive forces in luring Kurds towards the Caliphate. Even with Khattab's reported death in April 2015, the threat of more Kurds joining IS seems unlikely to diminish, with a new Kurdish Imam carrying the rhetoric forward.
FULL SYNOPSIS

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