Nationality Canada/Syria Other names Thwaiba Kalafani | Occupation engineer Name Thwaiba Kanafani | |
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Born 1972 (age 42–43) Damascus, Syria Known for Volunteered to fight with Syrian rebels | ||
Translation thwaiba kanafani joins syrian free army 3 wmv
Thwaiba Kanafani is Canadian/Syrian engineer whose 2012 decision to volunteer to fight with Syrian rebels against the Bashar al Assad regime triggered world-wide coverage. In August 2012, Tom Coghlan, writing in The Times of London, described her as "the female face of the Syrian revolution." She encouraged other women to also join the free Syrian army. The world-wide media coverage encouraged young Muslims to travel to Syria to fight against Assad, many of whom would later join ISIS.
Kanafani emigrated to Canada in 2002, after working in the United Arab Emirates. She and her husband raised a family in Toronto.
In the months leading up to her decision to volunteer Kanafani described participating in social media discussions about the unrest in Syria, and the number of deaths of innocent civilians. She described being encouraged to volunteer by her older brother. Her husband and children joined her, and established a home in Egypt prior to her travel to Turkey for military training. Later her husband described her as nuts. She was collecting Wefare cheques whilst on a Jehad.
The Free Syrian Army broadcast a YouTube recruiting video showing Kanafani surrounded by other fighters, where she announced she had joined the Banner of Damascus Falcons Troop of Aleppo Martyrs.
In early August 2012 Kanafani had crossed back into Turkey, after two of her bodyguards were killed.
In October 2012 Armina Ligaya writing in the National Post reported on Kanafani's return to Canada. She quoted Kanafani remaining committed to return to Syria. Kanafani had not served as a front-line fighter, and had not been called upon to fire her weapon. Her duties had consisted of committee meetings, visiting refugee camps, and other recruiting activities. Kanafani had also gone underground, and had scouted areas still occupied by al-Assad loyalists.
In an October 2012 profile of Khaled Sawaf, president of the Syrian Canadian Council, Simon Kent, writing in the Toronto Sun, reported that Sawaf described Kanafani.
In 2015 the Toronto Star described Kanafani as having left the front lines after growing disillusioned.