British Man, Two Americans Killed in Fighting Against ISIS in Syria

Kurdish YPG Praises Volunteers as 'Martyrs'

22-year-old British citizen Luke Rutter and two Americans, identified as Robert Grodt, and 29-year-old Nicholas Warden, were all reported killed in fighting against ISIS, according to a statement issued by the Kurdish YPG.

The three are not soldiers, but rather appear to have all gone to Syria to join the fighting against ISIS. The YPG praised them as martyrs who were fighting alongside them during an ISIS ambush in a suburb of Raqqa.

Rutter has secretly gone to Syria, and had told his family he’d joined the French Foreign Legion. The YPG posted a “final video” from him saying he believed the YPG are the best hope for peace in the region, and apologizing to his family for not telling them about going to Syria to fight.

Grodt formally made news as part of the Occupy Wall Street protests, ultimately getting engaged to a fellow protester who he met after she was pepper sprayed by police. His family said he was in Syria “helping oppressed people, his lifelong passion.”

Warden also had a video released by the YPG, in which he cited attacks in Orlando and San Bernadino as his inspiration for going to Syria to fight. The YPG said he was wounded during the ambush, and died later of his injuries.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.