Kurds Pay Tribute to American Keith Broomfield Who Died Fighting ISIS; Line Streets for Funeral Procession, Vow Revenge for Death

(Photo: Reuters/Hosam Katan)

Christian Post Report – A Kurdish boy waves a Kurdish flag during celebrations after it was reported that Kurdish forces took control of the Syrian town of Kobani, in Sheikh Maksoud neighborhood of Aleppo, January 27, 2015. Kurdish forces battled Islamic State fighters outside Kobani on Tuesday, a monitoring group said, a day after Kurds said they took full control of the northern Syrian town following a four-month battle.

Hundreds of Kurds lined a funeral procession for American Keith Broomfield in northern Syria before turning his body over to his family at a Turkish border crossing.

The Daily Mail and the Facebook page “The Lions of Rojava,” which promotes and pays tribute to foreign fighters against ISIS, posted photos of the Kurdish military procession.

Broomfield, 36, was believed to be killed on June 3 in northern Syria in a military engagement with ISIS forces. His parents and several family members have all said that Broomfield was “led by the Lord” to fight ISIS and “believed in opposing evil.” Broomfield paid his own way to link up with Kurdish forces in the fight against ISIS in February.

“The freedom loving people on this Earth thank you for your sacrifice and will never forget you,” declared a post on “The Lions of Rojava Facebook page. “While ISIS fights for death and slavery our warrior fought for life and freedom!”

A description of the page, in part, reads: “Join YPG [Kurdish military forces] The Lions of Rojava Unit and send ISIS terrorists to hell and save humanity.”

Pictures on the page show Kurdish forces following Bloomfield’s casket and lining the streets to pay tribute to the American. Young children are seen holding photos of Broomfield along the street and near his casket. Many in the crowd held up the “V” sign with their hands for “victory,” and applauded his sacrifice.

Broomfield is believed to be the first American who has died as a volunteer fighter against ISIS.

Kurdish forces vowed to avenge his death and promised to chase ISIS “from our land to the gates of hell,” while praising the Massachusetts native as a “martyr.”

In a press conference echoing Broomfield’s mother’s comments previously reported by The Christian Post, Broomfield’s father, Tom, said his son “really felt led by the Lord to go over there.”

“The persecution the Kurdish people are facing, some of it is pretty gruesome,” Broomfield’s father described. “The attacks on the kids and just the brutality from ISIS — that really troubled him.”

“I can’t just sit back here and watch,” said Broomfield’s dad about his son’s reason for going to Syria to fight with the Kurdish forces against ISIS. Broomfield’s brother added that he believed Keith’s decision “was shocking,” adding that he “didn’t agree with it at first.”

Before leaving his home in the U.S. to fight against ISIS, Broomfield was a production manager at his family’s manufacturing firm.

The U.S. State Department confirmed his death on Wednesday and takes no official position on American fighters volunteering to fight against ISIS in the Middle East. The State Department has been in contact with Broomfield’s family but added no further comment, only saying they are receiving “assistance.” The FBI however, is asking Americans to provide any information on citizens believed to be fighting for ISIS.

In a video reportedly to have been released by Kurdish forces, Broomfield says: “I’m here to be a part of the movement, do whatever I can to assist that.”

“With everything that’s going on, it seems like the right thing to do,” he added.