American Killed Fighting Islamic State Alongside Kurdish Militia Group

Keith Broomfield's death marks the first American casualty in the free fight against the Islamic State.

GettyImages-458218958crop
GettyImages-458218958crop

Thousands of Europeans, Africans, and American fighters have rushed to Iraq and Syria to sign up with the Islamic State. A much smaller group of foreigners have traveled there to take up arms against the militants. Now comes news of the first U.S. casualty: Keith Broomfield, 36, who was killed earlier this month while fighting alongside Kurdish fighters in Syria.

Thousands of Europeans, Africans, and American fighters have rushed to Iraq and Syria to sign up with the Islamic State. A much smaller group of foreigners have traveled there to take up arms against the militants. Now comes news of the first U.S. casualty: Keith Broomfield, 36, who was killed earlier this month while fighting alongside Kurdish fighters in Syria.

His death was first reported on Twitter accounts linked to Kurdish militant groups, and the State Department later confirmed that he had been killed. According to unconfirmed reports on social media, Broomfield was killed near the Syrian city of Kobani, which has been under siege from Islamic State forces. Broomfield had joined the YPG, or People’s Protection Units, in February.

With the support of U.S. airpower, Kurdish forces have succeeded in breaking that siege and pushing the Islamic State from Kobani proper.

While exact figures on the number of Western fighters to have signed up with Kurdish and other anti-Islamic State militant groups remain scarce, estimates put the total number between a few dozen and about 100. In March, a German woman was killed fighting alongside Kurds. The same month, a former British Marine was killed after joining up with the YPG. In February, an Australian veteran died while fighting the Islamic State with the YPG.

Photo credit: NICOLAS MAETERLINCK/AFP/Getty Images

Twitter: @EliasGroll

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