North Carolina Mom, 25, Leaves Three Children Behind To fight For Kurds In Iraq

Daily Mail ^ | 08:31 EST, 15 May 2015 | By KEILIGH BAKER FOR MAILONLINE

[drewh]

A mother-of-three from North Carolina is the latest Westerner to volunteer to fight against ISIS in Iraq. Samantha Johnston, 25, from Emerald Island, who previously served in the US Army, is believed to have joined the Kurdish Peshmerga troops, who are battling ISIS in northern Iraq and Syria. She said she wanted to fight ISIS because: 'I decided to come fight because I felt like it was my duty.

'I couldn't look my children in the eyes and say, "I didn't do anything to help."' Ms Johnston told the site her children are in 'a safe place'. 'To me this has nothing to do with religion,' said Jay. 'I am a Christian but I'm protecting humanity. No matter race or religion.'

She told the website that she joined the Kurdish fighters by seeking them out. She claims she made 'the right connections and verified they were reliable'. Ms Johnston says she plans to start a humanitarian organization after her return so she can continue helping the Kurdish community.

She regularly updates her Facebook page with pictures of her in Iraq. On April 25 she posted a selfie showing her with the Kurdish flag and a Kalashnikov firearm.

On May 9 she posted a picture of a badge she has pinned to her jacket with the word 'Mom' emblazoned on it. There are estimated to be around 100 westerners fighting alongside Kurdish militias against ISIS, which has recruited thousands of foreign fighters into its ranks. Ms Johnston said she began researching Kurdistan after ISIS swept through parts of Iraq and Syria last year, claiming territory and terrorizing religious and ethnic minorities.

[sandboxshooter]

There’s a LOT of hard hitting guys that have done numerous deployments fighting for your right to say that who would disagree with you, because they’re also tatted up.

[fwdude]

They can take it up with God, then.

[sandboxshooter]

Agreed