Former City Worker 'Smashing' Islamic State

A former Young Conservative who gave up his City job to fight Islamist militants in Iraq has told Sky News he has had "amazing success" in fierce battles with Islamic State.

'Macer Gifford', who is operating under an assumed name, left in December to join the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) in northern Iraq, insisting he would not be taken alive by the enemy.

Speaking of his latest battle he said: "We completely smashed them. We've taken a huge amount of land from ISIS (Islamic State) and had some amazing successes over the past week or so.

"The firefights are very one sided and we've been overrunning their positions quickly because they don't have heavy weaponry. When we ambush them they're not expecting us at all."

The 28-year-old, who spoke to Sky News from the Iraqi town of Tel Hamis, claimed the fear and violence spread by IS was leading to inaction in the West and he felt he had to do something.

"I had a regular job in the City and was watching with horror what was coming out of Iraq as I know everyone else was. I believe in British values and democracy so I made the decision to come here and help in any way I can.

"My family haven't taken my decision very well. I call my mum whenever I can get a signal and she's obviously concerned for my welfare but I have no immediate plans to come back."

Mr Gifford fought alongside 25-year-old former Royal Marine Konstandinos Scurfield who was killed in Iraq's northern province of Hasakah last week, and 28-year-old Australian Ashley Johnson who was killed days earlier.

Mr Scurfield's family said they were devastated to learn of his death , adding they were "reeling" and "struggling to get our heads around everything".

A statement released by the family said: "His flame might have burned briefly but it burned brightly with love, courage, conviction and honour and we are very proud of him."

Mr Gifford said: "I trained with Ash a month ago and on the first day of our last operation we lost 10 people, including him. He was shot twice in the chest just 20 metres from IS fighters.

"Konstandinos collected his body. Every time there was fighting he would go in and pick up the dead bodies.

"I've no idea what would happen if I were captured; but what about the thousands of Yazidi women that have already been captured and used as sex slaves in Raqqa? Isn't that enough to put boots on the ground?"

Mr Gifford's decision to fight IS mirrors that of Britons Jamie Read and James Hughes who claimed to have spent three weeks on the front line alongside Kurdish forces last year.

They were questioned by police on their return but, unlike other Britons that have travelled to fight in the Syrian civil war, they were not arrested.