Ex-British Marine Killed Fighting Alongside Kurds in Syria
Local Editor
A former Royal Marine had become the first Briton to be killed while fighting alongside Kurdish forces against "ISIL" in Syria.
The Kurdish People's Protection Units [YPG] named him as Konstandinos Erik Scurfield, from Barnsley.
Furthermore, the Foreign Office declared it was "aware of reports" of a Briton dying in Syria.
The YPG stated the "British volunteer martyr" died in an area west of the city of Qamishli. A Kurdish commander added that clashes against "ISIL" in that area were continuing.
The YPG had asked Scurfield's family if they could bury him in Syria "as a martyr".
In a statement, the Foreign Office stated, "We are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Syria. The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria, where all UK consular services are suspended."
The statement continued, "As we do not have any representation in Syria it is extremely difficult to get any confirmation of deaths or injuries and our options for supporting British nationals there are extremely limited."
According to a report, about 100 Western volunteers - including some Britons - were fighting as part of the 30,000-strong Kurdish forces.
More than 500 Britons were believed to have travelled to join "ISIL".
Moreover, the UK government's position was "probably going to lead to accusations of double standards".
Hence, the report mentioned that if Britons went to Syria and were suspected of trying to join "ISIL", they would get their "collar felt at Heathrow" - but there "seems to be a silence about people going to fight on the other side".
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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