The battle for Mosul has begun.

A friend in Kurdistan right now has just put this message on facebook. I’m sharing it because I believe that sometimes we must be made to remember that the fight against ISIS is real, and that the people doing the fighting are human. There are – right now – men and women putting on jackets, boots, picking up guns and knives, and walking in the direction of the most evil, perverted, sadistic, violent, monsters the world has thrown up in a very long time. They are kissing goodbye to their children, their husbands, their wives, their parents – or in many cases, going with them – to fight, as said above, “in what is a decisive battle for civilisation.” They’re hoping they’ll return and hold their families again. These women and men are heroes, undeniably. Around the world tonight people are watching their struggle in Mosul and holding in our hearts the most profound hope, and gratitude, for every one of them. In the coming hours, days and weeks, I hope our country will do all that we can to help them. I hope.

In solidarity.