In the face of such brutality, wavering supporters of the Islamic State could well rally to an Arab Sunni force, possibly allied with the Kurds. By contrast, foreign fighters often stand their ground, no matter what. As the chief of the Kirkuk police station housing the prisoners put it: ‘The foreign fighters are the most dangerous and fearless. They fight to win and they fight to die. They believe in what they are doing and will not surrender.’ One 25-year-old Nusra fighter who originally joined ISIS but grew tired of ‘blowing up innocent civilians’ confirms the Kurdish police chief’s take on foreign volunteers who desire struggle and self-sacrifice more than anything in life: