Kurdish female fighters are the “Women of the week” in Women Talk Online. Female fighters play an important role in the Kurdish “Peshmerga” army, which is fighting tooth and nail to keep Islamic State militants at bay in Iraq and Syria.

Militants of the Islamic State have abducted thousands of women and girls belonging to the Yazidi community while Kurdish women put on a brave front against the militant oppressors. Read more to find out which women’s themes made to the headlines this week.

Facts you should know about the Islamic State and why they are a threat to women.