Kurdish women continue to join the People’s Defense Unit, or YPG, who have been leading the resistance against Islamic State (formerly ISIS/ISIL) since it began its siege on Kobane, Syria, in mid-September.

This video, filmed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on November 23, shows members of the YPG’s Women Defense Units training in the northern Syrian city of Qamishli. The young fighters are pictured learning military commands and practicing their marksmanship.

In recent months, Islamic State militants have attacked a number of Kurdish regions in Syria and Iraq, forcing thousands of refugees to flee their homes, according to reports. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty