Hundreds of Yazidi volunteers embarked on trainings in several camps in Syria by Kurdish militants to fight against Islamic State militants operating in Iraq, an armed Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG) member announced on Sunday.

In Serimli military base training camp in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, 55 Yazidis are being trained for several days to fight the Islamic State fighters, a Reuters photographer reported. 

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A Kurdish YPG media office member said Syrian Kurds equip the Yazidi volunteers on using weapons and different fighting strategies before they return to Sinjar mountain to fight the ISIL.

Both young and old Yazidi men in green military fatigues did not mind the 40 degree Celsius heat in training camps while they learned how to use assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades from Syrian Kurds.

Due to intense chaos and violence happening in northern Iraq between Islamic State militant groups and Iraqi security forces, Yazidi groups and other ethnic Kurds had to flee for their lives. Some Yazidi civilians wish to stay in Syria because it is safer but they also desire to go back to Iraq to fight, Reuters explained.

Anas Hani from eastern Syria said that there are several training camps for volunteer Yazidi men. In the past ten days, hundreds already graduated and Syrian Kurds keep on training more.

The Yazidis established the Singar Resistance Units on top of the Singar mountains with the help of locals and the YPG, Hani added.

Some reports describe the YPG as the most powerful rebel group in Syria and Iraq. They also say the training camps for Yazidi volunteers has no political affiliations.

However, some analysts say otherwise. There are reports confirming the YPG has close ties with Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK, a group that battles in a guerilla war in Turkey and considered by the United States as a terrorist organization.

TagsKurdish militants, Yazidi, Iraq, war