Workers Solidarity Movement

6th March the IFB announced the death of Icelandic YPG volunteer Haukur Hilmarsson at the hands of the Turkish state in Afrin. Hauker who was described as a 'dedicated anarchist militant' was a well know anti-racist and anti-austerity activist in Iceland who had been arrested at the height of the protests against the banking scandal there.

The Iceland Monitor reports "Activist Haukur Hilmarsson hit the news when climbing up the Parliament roof in the riots after the economic crash in 2008 and flying the Bónus supermarket flag there. His arrest two weeks later for a fine he received in 2005 caused much public anger. His debt was payed by an anonomyous man.

Hilmarsson was also a member of environmental movement Saving Iceland and later, No Borders who fight for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Iceland.

In 2007 Hilmarsson was one of the people who barricaded the road to Hellisheiðavirkjun power plant in order to stop the building of the plant. He was arrested, along with his mother and six others for not obeying police orders. "

You can read 3 articles from  Haukur Hilmarsson at https://grapevine.is/author/haukur-hilmarsson/

Grapevine has written "Haukur, who took the nom de guerre Sahin Hosseini in the IFB, has been a well-known activist in Iceland for many years. He was dedicated to human rights, and first gained national attention in 2008 when he and another man attempted to block the deportation of then-asylum seeker Paul Ramses Odour by standing in the way of an airplane carrying Ramses that was trying to leave Iceland. Paul was grateful for this act, later telling reporters that the two men “saved my life”. Paul is today an Icelandic citizen."

Haukur was one of many volunteers with the International Freedom Battalion. The IFB wrote "Our comrade Haukur Hilmarsson (nom de guerre Sahin Hosseini) has become immortal. A dedicated anarchist militant he heard the Anti-Fascist call of the YPG and International Freedom Battalion and travelled immediately to join the fight in Manbij. Unable to reach Rojava and deported from Iraq back to his native Iceland, he did not give up. Returning to the region he quickly gained honour and respect in the bloody battles of Raqqa, where he was a team commander of our tabur, the IFB. He was popular and trusted by all comrades, and was chosen as a representative on the committee of the tabur. Ready to leave after the defeat of ISIS in their capital, he returned once again to the fray to confront the invading colonial fascist forces if Turkey and their jihadi allies. It was in this fight he fell a martyr, in Afrin. In death we say he has become immortal. For we will never forget his struggle, his name, and his example - and we shall never give up his fight.
The martyrs are immortal! Sehid Namirin!"

Brief video of Haukur in Rojava