British Volunteer Fighter Raising Funds to Return to Syria
One of the longest-serving British civilian fighters against the Islamic State (ISIS) is raising funds so he can return to Syria for the third time. Steven Kerr left his job as a warehouse manager in his native Northampton two years ago to join Kurdish rebels on the front line.
The 58-year-old activist is one of dozens of British men and women who have joined volunteer units fighting ISIS. "I saw the atrocities ISIS were doing on the Kurdish civilians," he said. "And I just thought with my military experience I might be able to do something to help."
Before all this, Kerr served in the British Army from 1978 to 1984. From there, it was downhill for his life. He became addicted to drugs and became estranged from his family. In 2004 he robbed a bank of £126,000 and was jailed for nine months. He redeemed himself when he went to Syria in 2015 to defend villages along the Euphrates that had been recaptured from the terror group.
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Kerr told Sunday Times he was under near-constant fire from mortars and snipers. "We used to get mortared constantly, every day and night," he narrated. "You hear the thump of the mortar being fired. Then if you count to 10 and get past 10 you know the round has gone way overhead."
The experience almost cost him his life in August that year. "The weather was really hot so most of the guys sleep on the roofs," he said. "One night we got to nine [in counting mortar fire] and then the side of the building caved in. I got shrapnel in my head, eyes and legs."
Kerr came home for two months to nurse his wounds and when he recovered, went back for his second tour which lasted for six months. He returned to the United Kingdom in April last year. Now, the father of two teenage girls is looking forward to rejoining his comrades in Raqqa, the jihadis' stronghold in Syria next month.
Kerr knows of eight other British soldiers in the YPG, a group of Kurds and international fighters. There were also women who formed their own unit, the YPJ. "The YPJ do most of the fighting. They are awesome fighters... ISIS hate them. For them to get killed by a woman is a big no-no," he said.
