ISIS FOOTAGE
[Newscaster] ISIS: the most brutally violent terror group in modern history.
[Newscaster] ISIS now controls broad swaths of land in Iraq and Syria and oversees an estimated 6 million people...
[Newscaster] The Army seemed powerless to stop the advance.
[Newscaster] The Islamic State group has issued a decree,
stating that any man killed by a woman would go to hell,
prompting many Kurdish women to take up arms against the militants.
THIS IS THE TOWN OF SEREKANIYE (OR RAS EL AIN), SYRIA. IT IS INHABITED MAINLY BY KURDS.
IT IS THE LAST MAJOR TOWN BORDERING THE 'ISLAMIC STATE'.
THE ONLY FORCE PROTECTING SEREKANIYE FROM ISIS IS THE KURDISH PEOPLE'S PROTECTION UNITS (YPG).
HER WAR: WOMEN VS. ISIS
[Gulan's Mother] The shop owner said almost everyone left town.
[Gulan's Mother] Go and get the plates.
[Gulan's Mother] They're on the cupboard shelf.
[Gulan's Mother] Ibrahim and Goran were wounded at the same time.
[Gulan's Mother] Goran had 4 shards in his shoulder. He's here now.
[Chichek] Four? [Gulan's Mother] Yes.
[Gulan's Mother] You're not eating, does your stomach hurt? [Gulan] I'm not hungry.
[Gulan's Mother] You didn't say why you won't eat. [Gulan] I ate.
[Gulan's Mother] When? [Gulan] Recently.
[Gulan] My name's Gulan, I'm 18.
[Gulan] Before the war, I hoped to study French.
[Gulan] I wanted to be a teacher,
I wanted our children to be as well-educated as kids from developed countries.
[Gulan] When ISIS was here, we couldn't leave our homes. They'd take women if they saw them.
[Gulan] They even broke into homes to kidnap women, so we tried to hide.
[Gulan's Mother] That's my youngest girl.
[Chichek] Is she your youngest child? [Gulan's Mother] Yes, she is. I have a son who's older.
[Gulan's Mother] She's the tiniest of my kids.
[Gulan's Mother] The others are all big and strong.
[Gulan's Mother] My elder son is so big he can't fit through the door!
[Gulan's Mother] We have 5 boys and 3 girls.
[Gulan's Father] I've worked the land for 10 years. Two of my boys are carpenters.
[Gulan's Father] We're sending Gulan to serve in the army today.
[Gulan's Mother] Now, when you take Gulan, how long will you train her for?
[Chichek] She'll train for a month, then join a group.
[Chichek] Then they go to the front line.
[Chichek] She'll be there for 2 months then come home.
[Chichek] She'll stay here a day or two, then we'll take her again.
[Gulan's Mother] God be with you.
[Gulan's Father] ISIS attacked us.
[Gulan's Father] They take our kids and cut off their heads.
[Gulan's Father] They take our daughters and do terrible things to them.
[Gulan's Mother] My daughter wanted to join the self-defence forces.
[Gulan] I've wanted to join them for a long time, now I'm ready to join the YPJ.
[Gulan] Our families said that men should fight and girls stay home.
[Gulan] That's why we stayed home.
[Gulan] Some girls aren't allowed to stand outside near their house.
[Gulan] That's why women started to fall behind men.
[Gulan] We saw women in YPJ uniform in town.
[Gulan] I was impressed and wanted to join them.
[Gulan's Father] God willing we'll drive the bandits out and be proud of our Kurdistan.
[Woman] With the help of good people and patriots of our country.
[Gulan's Mother] What future? We can't rely on anyone.
[Gulan's Mother] Our boys and girls have no future.
[Gulan's Mother] Let them fight for their future. What else can they do? God save them.
[Gulan] Look around: Al Assad, Erdogan, many others, all presidents are men.
[Gulan] We ask, why are there no women presidents in the Middle East?
[Gulan] Women should govern too.
[Gulan] Women should have the same rights as men.
[Gulan's Father] Anyone who's armed enjoys equal rights.
[Gulan's Father] I know she could be killed, but I give my daughter to the YPJ.
[Gulan's Father] God willing, she'll be ok.
[Gulan's Father] I told her, 'Don't get caught. If you do, keep a last bullet for yourself.'
[Gulan] In an hour I leave home for the camp.
[Gulan] I don't know anyone there but I'll meet my comrades.
[Gulan] I'll miss my Dad, I love him the most.
[Gulan] My dad loves me, right?
[Gulan] How can I prove that I love him?
[Gulan] I'll go fight the enemy to keep him safe at home and make him proud.
[Gulan's Mother] This is her scarf. Give it to her.
[Rumet] Gulan, I brought you clothes. [Gulan] What?
[Rumet] I've brought you clothes. Put them on.
[Gulan's Mother] Good luck, my girl!
[Gulan's Mother] Give her your blessing and say goodbye.
[Gulan's Mother] Go defend us with the YPJ!
THE YPJ IS THE ALL-FEMALE WING OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE'S PROTECTION UNITS (YPG),
FIGHTING ISIS IN SYRIA SINCE 2012.
[Woman] How are you, comrade? [Gulan] Good, thank you.
[Woman] Let's say hello! [Gulan] Good evening!
[Nazlizhan] Welcome, comrade Gulan!
[Tolheldan] Why do you look so tense? [Chichek] She's just shy!
YPJ TRAINING CAMP. 3 KM FROM THE FRONTLINE WITH ISIS.
THERE ARE 21 GIRLS UNDERGOING THE COURSE.
[Tolheldan] When ISIS invaded this area these villages were abandoned.
[Tolheldan] In order to defend this land, we have to live in these houses.
[Comrade Tolheldan 'Revenge', YPJ Commander]
[Tolheldan] This is our training camp, named after the martyr, Berivan.
[Tolheldan] Training here lasts a month. These ones leave and the next ones come.
[Tolheldan] We set up camp anywhere suitable and move around constantly.
[Tolheldan] We're 3 km away from ISIS at the most.
[Tolheldan] Either side could advance at any moment.
[Tolheldan] My name's Tolheldan.
[Tolheldan] I'm responsible for training new recruits.
[Tolheldan] It's my fourth year with the YPJ, since it was founded.
[Tolheldan] This region is quite poor, but the Kurds are poorest of all.
[Tolheldan] Those who serve with us are mostly from poor families.
[Tolheldan] Rich families do other things,
while poor families send their children to serve the motherland.
[Tolheldan] Poor children know what hardship is.
[Tolheldan] That's their motivation to fight for a free future.
[Tolheldan] I'm from a poor family myself.
[Berfin] Morning, comrades! [Women] Good morning!
[Berfin] How are you? - Thank you.
[Berfin] Morning, comrade Tolheldan! [Tolheldan] Good morning.
[Tolheldan] How are you?
[Gulan] What's your name, comrade? [Amara] Amara.
[Gulan] Nice to meet you, I'm Gulan.
[Amara] Gulan, we're going to war soon, and then the good days will come!
[Amara] When training's over, we'll go home!
[Afshin] The Islamic State has mapped out the country it's trying to create.
[Afshin] Look at its borders and regions it attacks and you'll see Kurdistan, comrades.
[Afshin] There's always danger. Don't think it will be like this all the time.
[Afshin] Tomorrow everything could turn against us.
[Afshin] Our strength, determination, organisation and knowledge of our enemy will save us.
[Afshin] Any questions?
[Afshin] If not, the lesson is over.
[Afshin] You can go now.
[Comrade Roni, YPJ Commander]
[Roni] We grew up in a society where women are supposed to be housewives,
where men consider them their property and honour.
[Roni] And women are not even allowed to leave the house.
[Roni] For women, getting married is like going to jail.
[Roni] Knowing the mentality of our society,
how can we talk about a married woman joining the YPJ?
[Roni] We want to create a new society.
[Roni] Before, it was unthinkable for men and women to be friends or fight together!
[Roni] These women joining self-defence forces in Syrian Kurdistan,
is a revolution within a revolution.
[Roni] If a man gets married, he can join the YPG. But with the YPJ it's different.
[Roni] If a girl gets married, she must leave the YPJ.
[Gulan] I'll shoot this. [Berfin] How?
[Tolheldan] There's a grenade there, right? [Gulan] Yes.
[Tolheldan] And this is your weapon. [Gulan] Good.
[Tolheldan] Hold your weapon tighter!
[Tolheldan] If a fly lands on your face or hair falls down, you can't do this, got it?
[Tolheldan] You must stand upright like now. Chest forward, looking ahead.
[Tolheldan] At ease! Attention!
[Tolheldan] Comrades Amara and Dildjan! At ease! Attention!
[Tolheldan] At ease! Attention! At ease! Attention!
[Tolheldan] Don't just stomp your feet.
[Tolheldan] Comrades Chichek and Roxan!
[Tolheldan] At ease! Attention! At ease! Attention!
[Tolheldan] Turn... left!
[Tolheldan] Girls, I said left!
[Tolheldan] Turn...
...left!
[Tolheldan] Where's your left, comrades?
[Tolheldan] I fought mostly in battles around Serekaniye.
[Tolheldan] At the front, you're face to face with the enemy, you're so close.
[Tolheldan] You shoot at them... they shoot at you.
[Tolheldan] They fire missiles at you. The sound of gunfire is everywhere.
[Tolheldan] But we've got faith.
[Tolheldan] My faith in our victory has always prevailed over any fear.
[Tolheldan] You take your weapon, turn left and stomp.
[Amara] Hello! [Fighters] Greetings!
[Amara] Be at ease! Pay attention! Be at ease! Pay attention!
[Amara] Not 'be at ease' and 'pay attention',
but just 'at ease' and 'attention'.
[Tolheldan] Very much so.
[Tolheldan] I like them a lot, because they also want freedom,
they ran away from the dirt of society,
and they've shunned the life they once lived.
[Tolheldan] They came here to protect their land and fight ISIS.
[Tolheldan] That's why I love them so much.
[Tolheldan] I love all of them, not just few.
[Tolheldan] Despite their mistakes and flaws, I love them regardless.
[Tolheldan] Very well! Let's give comrade Kurdistan a round of applause!
[Fighters singing]
Oh, Hazal, Hazal, Oh, my sweet Hazal...
The hour of the Kurds has come.
We will end the injustice!
The YPJ weapons will make Syrian Kurdistan a better place.
Enough, mother! I want to be a revolutionary.
All of my friends are there.
I'm the only one, shamefully staying on the side-lines.
I don't feel right here. My soul cries out for the mountains.
Mother, please don't cry!
[Roksan] Why don't you sing it till the end?
[Nazlizhan] But I am singing! [Gulan] Let me sing one!
[Chichek] Let's applaud comrade Gulan!
Maybe I'm destined to perish in a foreign land,
without ever seeing you, my love.
I'm in love with you, honey, my dark-eyed girl.
The sun is setting, the night is falling, and I can't be without you.
You're a flower that has grown in my garden, my dear!
[Gulan] I had all kinds of thoughts while at home and planning to come here.
[Gulan] But I calmed down once I got in the car and came here.
[Gulan] When I came here everyone called each other 'Haval' or comrade, so I did too.
[Gulan] It's nothing like the outside world.
[Gulan] It's interesting for me as I'm with like-minded people.
[Gulan] After I put on a YPJ uniform, I started feeling like a revolutionary.
[ISIS fighter] Abu Assad, Abu Assad!
[ISIS fighter] I copy.
[ISIS fighter] What do you want me to bring from the checkpoint?
[ISIS fighter] Wait, he's not finished working yet.
[ISIS fighter] How much more does he need to finish patrolling?
[ISIS fighter] He'll be there in 30 minutes.
[ISIS fighter] The commander told you to stay there.
[ISIS fighter] He said he'd do 15 rounds and come back.
[ISIS fighter] In the name of Allah, why is he so late?
[ISIS fighter] He'll come.
[Dilberin and Roksan] One, two, three!
[Roksan] Where are my shoes?
[Amara] Hail to the YPJ!
[Roksan] Isn't your shoe about to slip off?
[Dilberin] Sometimes you're impolite. Why so?
[Dilan] Why do I sometimes fail to be respectful?
[Dilan] This can happen to anyone.
[Dilan] Sometimes you find yourself in an awkward situation, or you're in a bad mood.
[Suzdal] So, whenever I'm upset, I prefer to be alone to avoid hurting anyone.
[Suzdal] Try to understand her. She may not know everything if she's new.
[Suzdal] You can take her aside and explain things work differently here.
[Suzdal] Stand up. Your comrades may want to ask you questions.
[Amara] Do you have questions?
[Dilan] Comrade Amara got up and is giggling, although we're in a formal setting.
[Dilan] Her laughter crosses the line at times.
[Dilan] I used to be like this, but I made an effort and changed my ways.
[Gulan] I'd like to say something. [Suzdal] Go ahead.
[Gulan] As far as comrade Amara is concerned,
I can say she only laughs when something funny happens.
[Gulan] Comrade Ahin also laughs a lot.
[Gulan] But comrade Amara only laughs at the right time.
[Gulan] I've known her for years. She's always like this!
[Gulan] I don't think it's wrong!
[Gulan] That's all I wanted to say about comrade Amara.
[Amara] Who'll drive ISIS out if I don't fight? If others don't fight?
[Amara] My name is Amara, I'm from Serekaniye. I'm 16 years old.
[Amara] My father is a member of the YPG. So are several of my brothers.
[Amara] When I said I wanted to join the self-defence units
my mother said that it's the path of our honour and no one can say 'no'.
[Amara] That's why they gave me their blessings.
[Suzdal] As far as comrade Amara is concerned,
her joining this revolution makes her one of us.
[Amara] Are you asking me about those who stayed home?
[Amara] Everyone can choose whether or not to join us.
[Amara] I can't judge them as the system made them this way.
[Amara] They walk around, in love with themselves.
[Amara] They don't know better. It will take time to change things.
[Tolheldan] Freedom crowns the heads of the free, but only slaves know its value.
[Tolheldan] In our society being a wife or a daughter means you're not a person in your own right.
[Tolheldan] And if you're a man you belong to the system. Even a master has a master of his own.
[Tolheldan] A woman toils all day in the kitchen,
bears and raises kids, but it's like she's not there.
[Tolheldan] People say, 'She's just a woman'.
[Tolheldan] There's a saying in society, 'A woman is a broken tree'.
[Tolheldan] But we say, 'No!' A woman can fight! A woman can, can, can do it!
[Tolheldan] But what kind of woman? Only a woman who knows herself.
[Tolheldan] What does it mean?
[Tolheldan] Knowing where you're from, where you are and your role in life.
[Amara] I studied until the 7th grade, but then I left school to fight.
[Amara] Freeing women from slavery is more important to me than school.
[Amara] I don't know what'll happen after the war.
[Amara] I have dreams like everyone else. I wanted to become a teacher.
[Amara] But I don't know if it will come true or not.
[Tolheldan] Being a soldier is a struggle with yourself.
[Tolheldan] That's why I'll ask you all, what's a soldier's life to you?
[Tolheldan] Comrade Chichek? [Chichek] A soldier must watch their words.
[Tolheldan] Watch their words. Comrade Amara? [Amara] Consistency and discipline.
If a soldier isn't focused in life, they won't focus at war.
[Dizhlya] Soldiers must estrange themselves from society.
[Dilan] Soldiers must be attached to their homeland.
[Woman] A soldier must be cold-hearted in battle.
[Gulan] May I? A soldier must not keep quiet.
[Tolheldan] War brings great destruction.
[Tolheldan] A peaceful country is not like a country at war,
where you hear explosions, people get wounded and killed every day.
[Tolheldan] Either we'll perish or become soldiers. There's no other alternatives.
[Tolheldan] Each of you should ask yourselves: 'How long will I last?'
[Tolheldan] If an enemy comes, will I be able to load a gun and pull the trigger?
[Tolheldan] Can I do it?
[Woman] Dilan's still there.
[Amara] If I'd been there when my mother was young, I wouldn't have let her live the way she did.
[Amara] Everything's in our hands, so there's nothing to fear.
[Tolheldan] Who's coming with us? Come over here if you want to go.
[Gulan] You're dressed like my grandma!
[Tolheldan] Comrade Berfin, you must be stronger.
[Tolheldan] You shouldn't cry in front of the fallen.
[Tolheldan] The day he was buried, you became a member of the YPJ.
[Tolheldan] It's the best decision you ever made.
[Tolheldan] When he died you picked up his weapon, you didn't just leave it lying there.
[Tolheldan] Be stronger. Tears are for the weak.
[Tolheldan] Listen to your comrade, take your weapon.
[Tolheldan] Kiss him and let's go.
[Tolheldan] Me too.
[Tolheldan] Come, let's go.
[Tolheldan] Why did our comrades leave us so young?
[Tolheldan] Why did we lose so many people on the way?
[Tolheldan] That's only here, it's the same everywhere. Some places have many more martyrs.
[Tolheldan] Freedom requires a sacrifice of some kind.
[Tolheldan] Ocalan, our leader, says: 'The truth of the fallen is that we're alive'.
[Tolheldan] So, all together, one, two, three:
Martyrs do not die! Martyrs do not die...
[Binefsh] Before, I felt useless.
[Binefsh] Before, when a close neighbour or relative got killed in battle,
[Binefsh] I was very sad, and kept asking myself, 'Why did they die?'
[Binefsh] People of all countries and nationalities love their homeland.
[Binefsh] A person is no one without a homeland. Wherever he goes, he's just a guest.
[Binefsh] My name's Binefsh.
[Binefsh] I'm from the town of Serekaniye, I'm 20.
[Binefsh] I graduated from a sports college and was given a post as a school teacher.
[Binefsh] After the battles for Serekaniye, I thought,
[Binefsh] 'If it wasn't for the YPJ, what would've happened to us?'
[Binefsh] It made a great impression on me.
[Binefsh] So I wanted to be of some use to my people too.
[Binefsh] I was ashamed walking past a YPJ check point and living as before.
[Binefsh] My parents love the YPJ very much,
but the problem is, they can't really handle their kids leaving.
[Binefsh] They didn't want to accept my decision.
[Binefsh] That's why I left home without saying goodbye.
[Binefsh] When they realised I'd left they started asking about me.
[Binefsh] Later, I called them to say I'd joined the YPJ and they shouldn't worry.
[Binefsh] My mother cried a lot and asked, 'Why did you do this to us?'
[Binefsh] She said she cries when she sees YPJ videos on TV.
[Binefsh] Mum said the house is empty, cold and quiet without me.
[Binefsh] Eventually she said, 'May God be with you. I'm with you. Take care'.
[Binefsh] Everyone misses home, but what do they do for it?
[Binefsh] And what happens when ISIS attacks your house?
[Binefsh] What happens to your mum, dad, you?
[Binefsh] How will you protect them?
[Binefsh] I miss home, but I know I'm doing something to defend it.
[Binefsh] We're building a new person and a new society.
[Binefsh] We want people to be more human, and know their rights, especially women.
[Binefsh] We'll all die one day, but I want to die as a martyr.
[Binefsh] While I'm alive, I want to be useful.
[Binefsh] But no matter how much I do, it'll never be enough.
[Amara] Comrade Chichek! Comrade Chichek!
[Amara] Wake up! Good morning! Comrade Chichek!
[Amara] What a heavy sleeper! Good morning!
[Amara] Classes start soon! [Chichek] Comrades, leave me alone!
[Chichek] Comrades, for God's sake, go away!
[Chichek] Even in the bathroom you can't leave a person alone!
[Chichek] They won't let you sleep.
[Chichek] Honestly, they just won't let you sleep!
[Dilberin] One, two, three!
[Chichek] You think you can treat me like a toy? Am I your toy?
[Chichek] My Mum never loved me.
[Chichek] When I was still at school, Mum wanted to marry me off.
[Chichek] I refused.
[Chichek] I didn't want to become a slave or live in that house.
[Chichek] My name's Chichek.
[Chichek] I joined the YPJ in Cizre, Turkey. I'm 16.
[Translator] How long were you at school? [Chichek] Till eighth grade.
[Chichek] When I was supposed to be at school, I wasn't in class.
[Chichek] I looked at pictures of martyrs and was among comrades.
[Chichek] I saw ISIS killing its victims on the Internet.
[Chichek] The terrorists should never get their hands on my friends.
[Chichek] If they're captured, they're slaughtered.
[Chichek] Women are tied to cars by their hair and dragged through the streets.
[Chichek] These events had a deep impact on me...
... as did the deeds of fellow partisans.
[Chichek] I wanted to follow in their footsteps, but my family stopped me.
[Chichek] They wouldn't let me join the YPJ.
[Teeny-Tiny] Comrade Chichek, your tea got cold... [Chichek] Be quiet!
[Teeny-Tiny] It went cold waiting for you.
[Woman] There's a time for everything.
[Woman] A time to laugh, a time to learn, a time to cry...
[Teeny-Tiny] I cry, laugh and get angry when the time is right.
[Chichek] It was a holiday on the day I planned my escape.
[Chichek] I wished my father well but didn't say goodbye.
[Chichek] My friends don't know I joined the YPJ, either.
[Chichek] Turkish soldiers shot at us as we crossed the border.
[Chichek] There were more than 90 of us.
[Chichek] Some of our friends were wounded, and one died.
[Chichek] Crossing the Turkish border, I just looked ahead and ran.
[Tolheldan] This is a Russian weapon, made in Russia.
[Tolheldan] It can fire one bullet at a time,
or several bullets in a row.
[Tolheldan] Keep your finger here until you find the target.
[Tolheldan] As you aim, control your breathing.
[Tolheldan] A millimetre makes a big difference when aiming at the target.
[Tolheldan] Who can do it with their eyes closed?
[Fighters] Me! Me! Can I? Let me!
[Tolheldan] Comrade Chichek...
[Woman] Comrade, it's good, but this part is upside down!
[Chichek] How will you put it in?
[Chichek] What do you mean, upside down?
[Chichek] Like this!
[Tolheldan] Is that it? [Woman] No, she couldn't put the bolt in place.
[Tolheldan] Let's have a break.
[Chichek] Where does it go?
[Chichek] Ah, there it is, yes!
[Chichek] ISIS should fear us, because we fear nothing!
[Chichek] We believe in ourselves.
[Chichek] When ISIS militants hear female voices, they get very scared.
[Chichek] They're afraid of us. Afraid of women.
[Chichek] They believe they'll go to hell if a woman kills them.
[Chichek] That's why they avoid women's bullets.
[Tolheldan] Hello! [Fighters] Greetings!
[Tolheldan] At ease! Attention! At ease! Attention!
[Tolheldan] Shoulder arms!
[Chichek] A girl is always at home, doing household chores,
doing everything her parents wish, and then her mother marries her to some man.
[Chichek] And then she does everything he wants.
[Chichek] In other words, she becomes his slave.
[Chichek] She raises kids herself, cooks food and so on.
[Chichek] But when a person comes here, they become themselves.
[Chichek] My mum's a housewife.
[Chichek] I don't want my life to be like hers, it's slavery,
and it plays into the enemy's hands.
[Chichek] I want to be part of this revolution and protect women's rights.
[Chichek] Because I've learned so much I won't return to the life of a slave.
JOINING A KURDISH ORGANIZATION IS ILLEGAL IN TURKEY.
IF CHICHEK EVER RETURNS HOME, SHE WILL BE JAILED.
[Tolheldan] What's collectivism?
[Tolheldan] I work for everyone, and everyone works for me.
[Tolheldan] All for one and one for all.
[Tolheldan] Capitalism controls everything:
women's freedom, men's, society in general, even nature.
[Tolheldan] The world's forests are disappearing,
trees are being cut down, everything's being polluted.
[Tolheldan] Economy rules over society.
[Tolheldan] The economy is supreme! There's even a saying...
[Tolheldan] 'You're only worth as much as you have in your pocket'.
[Tolheldan] We're trying to build a life based on equality.
[Tolheldan] We're not just thinking about Kurds but all mankind, for whom
we want to create a democratic system that our leader calls democratic confederalism.
[Tolheldan] This is why we support communism, socialism and democracy.
[Tolheldan] Ocalan's ideology has spread further than the socialism and collectivism
in Russian and Islamic societies.
[Tolheldan] The mercy of Jesus Christ and Zarathustra's love for nature
is combined in the Kurdish nation.
[Tolheldan] The YPJ is a movement to protect people's rights.
[Tolheldan] If I died and was reborn, I'd join the YPJ again,
because it gives me strength, confidence and the chance to realise my potential.
[Tolheldan] As a woman, I know I exist.
[Song] We built the life melody of Kurdistan, With notes emanating from Syrian Kurdistan.
[Song] With the beauty of the voices of Sakine, We sing the anthem of the YPJ.
[YPG Fighter] Look over there.
[YPG Fighter] If Comrade Tolheldan allows, we'll open fire on them.
[Tolheldan] Where's their bulldozer working? [YPG Fighter] Near the village.
[Tolheldan] Fire, fire!
[Tolheldan] Go on, fire!
[Tolheldan] He's running like the wind! Look at him!
[Tolheldan] I think it's too high, you can't see him.
[Tolheldan] Shoot at the bulldozer.
[Tolheldan] Right, comrade, that'll do. Enough.
[Tolheldan] Good luck, comrades!
[Tolheldan] You're mischevious!
[Tolheldan] So, wasn't that cool?
[Tolheldan] He said, 'Just give me bullets, I'll keep shooting!'
[Valad] I'm the captain, Comrade Tolheldan!
[Tolheldan] Come on, you chicken!
This is our sea... what can we do?
[Tolheldan] This is our sea... what can we do?
[Tolheldan] We have no sea.
[Tolheldan] These are mines! Mines are flying at you!
[Tolheldan] Walad, sit down!
[Tolheldan] Sit down, or you'll drown!
[Tolheldan] Sit down, damn it!
[Tolheldan] They're with us, with us!
[Tolheldan] Hello, dear comrade! [Man] Welcome!
[Tolheldan] Welcome!
[Tolheldan] Ok, thank you. Good luck.
[Tolheldan] Have a safe trip!
SINCE THE FRONT IS RELATIVELY QUIET,
TOLHELDAN'S MOTHER IS ALLOWED TO VISIT HER IN THE CAMP.
[Tolheldan] It'd be better to get together inside.
[Tolheldan's mother] Should I leave my shoes here? [Tolheldan] Yes, Mum.
[Tolheldan] Come in, come through.
[Tolheldan] I warned you I had many daughters!
[Tolheldan's mother] May God keep them all safe for you!
[Tolheldan] They kiss your hands!
[Tolheldan] Mum, we have a job to do. I'm taking our comrades to the front line.
[Tolheldan] It shouldn't take long, we'll be back soon.
[Tolheldan's mother] Can I come along? [Tolheldan] With us? To the front?
[Tolheldan] You want to go with us?
[Tolheldan's mother] What will happen? Nothing!
[Tolheldan's mother] I'm no better than you, I'll go too!
[Tolheldan] Ok, come with us.
[Tolheldan's mother] Give me a weapon! I have no weapon!
[Tolheldan's mother] Here... if you want, you can have mine.
[Tolheldan's mother] Won't it go off?
[Gulan] If someone hits here, she hits the bull's eye,
and there means the enemy's wounded.
[Gulan] That's an ISIS fighter, right? [Woman] Yes.
[Woman] Don't say, 'ISIS'.
[Woman] Why do you keep saying, 'ISIS'?
[Chichek] Call them terrorists, not ISIS fighters.
[Woman] We don't recognise ISIS here. [Woman 2] That's right!
[Tolheldan's mother] Is this the hill you told me about when I called?
[Tolheldan's mother] Where you said you were sleeping?
[Tolheldan] No, that was a different place, in another location.
It was good there. We liberated it from ISIS.
[Tolheldan] I was watching them through binoculars.
[Tolheldan] Then suddenly I heard a loud noise.
[Tolheldan] Next moment, there was smoke and dust in the air, you couldn't see a thing.
[Tolheldan] When I emerged unscathed, my friends were in shock.
[Tolheldan] They were sure I'd been killed by a shell.
[Tolheldan] But as we say, 'Mum must have given someone bread for my health'.
[Tolheldan's mother] Everything ended well? [Tolheldan] Yes, everything was fine.
[Tolheldan] We liberated that village, and now it's under our control.
[Tolheldan] It's called Tolheldan's Point now. Everyone calls it that.
[Tolheldan] Chichek, aim it over there!
[Tolheldan] Now it's empty here.
[Tolheldan] Everyone's gone.
[Tolheldan] Can you all hear me, comrades? - Yes.
[Tolheldan] Fall in, everyone!
[Chichek] As there are so few of them, they should take those positions
and then they can defend themselves.
[Commander Chichek] You're soldiers, you must always be on the alert.
[Commander Chichek] Girls must not be captured by ISIS.
[Commander Chichek] Don't move even a metre away unarmed.
[Commander Chichek] Any questions?
[Commander Chichek] Then, four comrades, come with me.
[Amara] Long live the comrades' resistance!
[Amara] Long live Comrade Tolheldan's resistance!
[Amara] Long live Amara's resistance!
[Amara] Long live the YPJ!
[Tolheldan] Keep down! Keep down!
[Tolheldan] Cover her! Stay there!
[Tolheldan] Grenade!
[Tolheldan] Go up and check the roof...
[Tolheldan] Go, go...
[Tolheldan] Stay there!
[Tolheldan] First you cover them, and then they'll cover you.
[Tolheldan] Go, go! Take cover!
[Tolheldan] One behind the wall, the other behind the car.
[Tolheldan] Comrade Chichek, what will you do?
[Commander Chichek] We're going over there.
[Tolheldan] Tell us if you need anything.
[Commander Chichek] I'll call. I'm off.
COMMANDER CHICHEK IS LEAVING TO INVESTIGATE GUNSHOTS FIRED AT THE FRONT.
[Tolheldan] This is Nujian Gevo.
[Tolheldan] That's her name.
[Tolheldan] I knew her.
[Tolheldan] For one thing, I'm glad,
as we've completed another stage of training at the YPJ.
[Tolheldan] I know I've made a small contribution to the revolution.
[Tolheldan] I'm really sad we'll have to part.
[Tolheldan] But we'll meet again in victories. That's the main thing for me.
[Tolheldan] It doesn't matter where we are.
[Tolheldan] Any one of us might be killed, wounded, or get re-posted,
but the important thing is completing our mission.
[Tolheldan] It's what our fallen comrades would expect of us.
[Suzdal] The Martyred Berivan's Academy is at your disposal, Commander.
[Chichek] If we think about great deeds, we'll become great commanders.
[Chichek] Our comrades taught us a lot. Sometimes they even scolded us...
[Chichek] Today we're having a ceremony and saying goodbye to our comrades.
[Chichek] We'll all be sent to different towns.
[Chichek] It's a good day, but saying farewell to our comrades makes me sad.
[Chichek] Hello! [Fighters] Greetings!
[Suzdal] Shoulder arms!
[Gulan] Our training ended today.
[Gulan] I know I'll cry when I leave my comrades.
[Gulan] It'll be tough to leave them.
[Gulan] I can't leave them now that we've met, they're like parents to me.
[Chichek] As you know, we've finished training the new recruits.
[Chichek] Although the training period was short, it was still eventful.
[Amara] I have strange feelings.
[Amara] We've learnt so much here... how beautiful friendship is!
[Amara] We're saying goodbye today,
and I'll always think about how and where they are.
[Chichek] The whole world is playing political games with us.
[Chichek] Despite it all, we should fight our enemy, ISIS.
[Chichek] We wish our comrades luck, and then more luck.
[Binefsh] On the one hand, it's a good day.
[Binefsh] Training taught us a lot, but now it's over.
[Binefsh] We should think about our cause,
then we'll be able to make the world a better place.
[Oath] 'Based on the paradigm of a democratic society...
'an ecological society, and freedom of idea...
[Oath] 'Irrespective of religion, language, ethnicity, group or party...
[Oath] 'To take into account the idea of self-defence,
'based on the regulations of the YPG and YPJ...
[Oath] 'On this basis, before Kurdistan's fallen heroes...
'by the peoples of Kurdistan and my brave comrades-in-arms, I swear!
[Oath] I swear!
[Oath] I swear!'
[Chichek] Comrades, we've posted you to different towns, like...
[Chichek] Derbesi, Amuda and Serekaniye.
[Chichek] The cars are ready.
[Chichek] After we announce the list, everyone will pack and leave.
[Chichek] Comrade Dilan, Serekaniye;
Ahin, Serekaniye; Farashin, Serekaniye;
Dilcan, Derbesi;
Amara, Derbesi.
[Chichek] Chichek, Amuda;
Gulan, Amuda.
[Fighters] Woman, Life, Freedom!
[Tolheldan] Comrades going to Serekaniye, see Comrade Rumet.
[Tolheldan] Amuda... here! Come here!
[Tolheldan] Derbesi and Serekaniye, go there.
[Tolheldan] Good luck!
[Tolheldan] That's enough. Good luck!
[Tolheldan] Take care. Good luck.
[Kurdistan] Chichek, why haven't you said goodbye to me?
[Kurdistan] Take care!
[Girl] Good luck, comrades!
[Fighter] Long live the YPJ!
TWO WEEKS LATER ISIS LED A SURPRISE ATTACK ON SEREKANIYE.
THE FRONT LINE WAS PUSHED BACK TO THIS SCHOOL. ALL OF THE GIRLS ARE NOW FIGHTING IN THIS AREA.