Anna Campbell: Dad launches legal action over body return

Anna Campbell died while fighting with Kurdish forces in 2018

The father of a woman who died fighting with Kurdish forces in Syria has launched legal action to bring her remains home.

Anna Campbell, 27, from Bristol, was killed in a Turkish airstrike in 2018.

Her family say they know where she is buried and have been campaigning to get the Turkish government to send her body back to the UK.

Dirk Campbell is taking his case to the European Court of Human Rights to force Turkey to act.

He said the Turkish government has ignored all his requests so far and accused the British government of not supporting his cause.

Mr Campbell said: "Though they are in control of Afrin canton, the Turkish authorities have refused to even reply to my request to be given safe conduct to where my daughter was killed. They have refused to engage with me at all.

Ms Campbell had been inspired by the cause of the Kurdish people, her father said

"The British Foreign Office has been no help. So, I am taking my case to the European Court of Human Rights where I hope to be given justice and to have international attention drawn to Turkey's widespread crimes against humanity."

Ms Campbell, originally from East Sussex, travelled to Syria in May 2017 against the advice of the UK authorities to help the Kurds, who were fighting the Islamic State (IS) group.

The BBC understands she had originally been involved in the fighting with the all-female Kurdish armed unit, YPJ, in Deir ez-Zor, where IS continued to try to hold on to territory.

But in January 2018, Turkish forces began a major offensive against the Kurds along the northern Syrian border.

Many Kurdish fighters left the fight against IS to defend Afrin and some British volunteers are known to have joined them.

There are murals of Ms Campbell in Bristol, including one in Easton

Ms Campbell's friends told the BBC she had been killed by Turkish airstrikes while fighting with the YPJ.

Her father said he felt "tremendous pride" that she had placed herself in danger "to be side-by-side in solidarity with the people she admired".

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "Our deepest sympathies are with Anna's family for their terrible loss.

"Our ability to help is currently severely limited. Consular support is not available from the British government from within Syria, as all services of the British Embassy in Damascus are suspended, and all diplomatic and consular staff have been withdrawn."

Mr Campbell has now asked human rights lawyers McCue Jury & Partners to lead legal action against the Turkish government.

Afrin saw weeks of fighting between Turkish and Kurdish forces in early 2018

"I believe that bringing a human rights claim at the Strasbourg Court is my last and only hope to return my daughter's remains to the UK, and to also hold Turkey accountable for their unacceptable behaviour," he said.

A statement from the Turkish Embassy refuted the claims from Ms Campbell's family.

"It is unjust and wrong to accuse Turkey for death of a person who travelled to a conflict zone to join an armed group," it stated.

"This armed group is a part of terrorist organisation PKK.

"No question that there is a personal tragedy for the father of the deceased, yet this accusation only serves to propaganda efforts of certain circles."

Mr Campbell said he "could not continue his fight for justice" without people who had donated to his crowdfunder campaign to pay for legal costs.