TOUGH AS NAILS Kurdish Female Sniper Keeps Her Cool Under ISIS Fire, Laughs It Off
A cool head under fire was on display in a video released just yesterday, in which a female sniper of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ, a part of the largely Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces narrowly avoided the bullet of an ISIS sniper who had her in his sights. The dramatic video was first released by Turkish journalist Hemze Hamza through Twitter:
In the second half of the short video, the sniper is seen sitting behind cover, visibly anxious but still smiling.. Her body language communicates her embarrassment at having been caught out, and just a touch of the nerves that follow in the footsteps of near death.
Response to the video online has been characterized by awe at her cool head under fire, and also criticism of her sniper tactics. Regarding the latter, it should be understood that it is unlikely she was trained as a “sniper” in the Western sense of the word, but probably something closer to what we would call a designated marks(wo)man. The key difference in these roles is that while the designated marksman has more training in marksmanship than the average trooper, they do not receive the same training in – among other things – concealment and camouflage that a true sniper would receive. Still, this close call was surely an lesson all its own, and I doubt she will make the same mistakes next time!
Wagging her tongue at Death…
Nathaniel is a history enthusiast and firearms hobbyist whose primary interest lies in military small arms technological developments beginning with the smokeless powder era. He can be reached via email at nathaniel.f@staff.thefirearmblog.com.
More by Nathaniel F
![[NRAAM 2024] Mike Pappas NRAAM 2024 Dead Air Show and Tell](https://cdn-fastly.thefirearmblog.com/media/2024/06/04/064424/nraam-2024-mike-pappas-nraam-2024-dead-air-show-and-tell.jpg?size=350x220)
![[GunCon 2024] New Brownells Gunsmith Vise & Accessories](https://cdn-fastly.thefirearmblog.com/media/2024/07/04/09301/post.jpg?size=350x220)
Comments
Join the conversation
Sir Winston Churchill once observed - regarding his active service in the Boer War - "Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result." I think the young lady in the video would now agree with that statement.
Is she shooting a Drogonov with a folding stock? The magazine looks a bit long for an AK or other 'short' cartridge.
Anyone who has ever had a close call in combat recognizes this for what it is . . the black humor that keeps you going day after day when you know that at any minute your life could violently end. This is how you get up and get dressed after 3 hours of sleep, load up your kit and head out to another day of sphincter clenching "excitement." I know that some of you on here are combat veterans, so this isn't aimed at you. But there are way too many people on these blogs who have never been in that kind of position and yet they think they have the right to judge and make fun. Well, I hate to p*ss in your cornflakes, but if you haven't been there you should just stick to Call of Duty.