Battle has slowed, says American battling IS in Syria
Two Americans and a man studying politics at Manchester University have spoken to the BBC's Quentin Sommerville about joining the fight against Islamic State in Syria.
They said they wanted to help Kurds fighting the jihadist group there but at this point, having liberated many villages and witnessed suffering and death, they were ready for a break.
They told him they were not worried about being arrested on their return home. "Being in prison for doing something good? In the end it would be worth it," one of the Americans said.