The first British woman to join an all-female military unit to fight the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria has claimed that her parents and family have been the subject of an investigation by the UK's counter-terrorism officers.
Kimberley Taylor, who joined Kurdish forces in the battle to reclaim Raqqa from ISIS forces in March 2016, told the BBC that her parents' laptops and phones have been taken away and not returned for a month and that her family are "afraid for their own safety".
The 27-year-old, known as Kimmie, joined the Kurdish Women's Protection Units (YPJ) military academy and has been fighting against ISIS since October last year.
She said her mother, father, step-father and sister have been visited by counter-terrorism police. They have also had phones and computers removed from their homes in Prescot and Chorley in north-west England.
Speaking to the BBC over a messaging app, on an intermittent internet connection, she responded to information given to her about her family.
"One month later, they haven't been given anything back. This means that we haven't been able to have contact for all this time and their stress levels about my safety must be sky high," she said.
"Their actions aren't justified at all. The British establishment are playing political games. This is not about controlling terrorist threats, this is about frightening people who want change for the world and Britain too."
Scotland Yard has warned that anyone who travels to Syria to fight could be arrested and questioned when they return.
The UK Home Office said it could not comment on police operations.
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