Watch Frontline Fighting: Battling ISIS

Frontline Fighting: Battling ISIS is a powerful and gripping documentary film directed by Dan Reed that follows a group of British volunteers who join the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria to fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The film focuses on the experiences of three volunteers: Jac Holmes, a former IT worker from Bournemouth; James Matthews, a former IT consultant from London; and Oliver Hall, a former farmer from Norfolk. The volunteers come from different backgrounds and have different motivations for joining the YPG, but they share a strong sense of mission and camaraderie.

The film opens with footage of the volunteers training in a YPG military academy in northern Syria, learning how to handle weapons and survive in the harsh conditions of the battlefield. The volunteers explain how they were inspired to join the YPG after seeing the atrocities committed by ISIS on the news, and how they feel compelled to help the Kurdish people defend their homes and families.

The film then follows the volunteers as they join YPG units and participate in several battles against ISIS. The battles are intense and chaotic, with gunfire and explosions ringing out as the YPG and ISIS fighters engage in close combat. The volunteers are shown fighting alongside their Kurdish comrades, firing AK-47s, tossing grenades, and calling in airstrikes with the help of American pilots.

Throughout the film, the volunteers reflect on what it means to fight against ISIS and the sacrifices they have made to join the YPG. They talk about their families back home, who worry about their safety, and the difficulties of living in a war zone with limited resources and constant danger. They also discuss the moral and political implications of their actions, acknowledging that they are breaking international law by fighting in a foreign conflict.

One of the most powerful aspects of the film is the way it humanizes the volunteers and the Kurdish people they are fighting to protect. The volunteers are shown interacting with Kurdish civilians, playing with children and sharing meals with families. They talk about the deep sense of respect and gratitude they have for the Kurdish people, who have welcomed them as heroes and given them a sense of purpose.

The film also highlights the brutality and barbarism of ISIS, showing footage of their executions, bombings, and destruction of ancient sites. The volunteers talk about the horrors they have witnessed, including the aftermath of ISIS attacks on civilian areas and the use of child soldiers by the terrorist group.

Overall, Frontline Fighting: Battling ISIS is a compelling and thought-provoking documentary that sheds light on the complexities of the fight against ISIS and the motivations of those who choose to join the battle. It provides a rare glimpse into the lives of ordinary people who are willing to risk everything to fight for a cause they believe in, while also raising important questions about the ethics of foreign intervention in conflicts around the world.