FREE COPY Part of your community
Part of your community
& surrounding areas Contact details: 01484 420800
September 2015
Alan asks for Holme Valley’s help By Olivia Taylor and Bronte Matthews
A COURAGEOUS man from Honley is urging people of the Holme Valley to understand the seriousness of the situation in war-torn Syria and its neighbouring countries after returning from a trip to Kurdistan. Alan Brooke, 62, returned home last month after being denied the chance to fight
with Kurdish forces against the Islamic State because of his age. The former archeologist said: “If they thought I was going to be a liability because of my age then of course I would respect that.” Alan stayed in Kurdistan for a month, spending time in the Middle Eastern mountains in 40 degree heat. This was in an attempt to
be smuggled into Syria where he risked being captured by IS fighters. He said: “I was a little bit scared but if you let everything that you’re scared of hold you back you wouldn't get anywhere. I was able to get in touch with my wife when I could borrow someone’s smart phone, but when I was in the mountains I wasn’t able to.”
During Alan’s travels he met with Cemil Bayik who is one of the founders of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) – an outlawed group of Kurdish radicals defending Kurdistan from Jihadists. Alan told the Review that meeting Cemil was a “great privilege”. He also attended a funeral of a fallen Kurdish ‘martyr’ and said the moving event
nearly brought him to tears. Since returning back to Yorkshire, Alan is on a mission to educate local residents on exactly what has been happening in the hope they will spread the word. Alan explained: “I want to continue publicising what the situation is like there. Everyone can say it but when you’ve actually been, you have some authority to say
what's going on.” He has been in touch with MP Jason McCartney urging government to support the Kurdish people. The MP, who is chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Kurdistan, said: “Finding peace and supporting the Kurdish people is absolutely crucial to finding a long term solution to the refugee crisis.”
Have you got a story for the next Holme Valley Review? Give us a call on 01484 420800