A MYSTERY soldier, reported to be from Oxford, has told how he has spent the past eight weeks in Syria and Iraq fighting against terrorist group ISIS.

The story of a former Young Conservative, who gave up a job in the City to battle for Kurdish freedom, has hit the headlines.

National media reports have named the 28-year-old as Macer Gifford, fighting under the pseudonym of Baran Macer.

The only man of that name in Oxfordshire is a married father-of-two in his 40s, who formerly worked as a City foreign exchange trader and has business links to the Middle East. But he is not the individual who has been fighting against ISIS, his legal representatives have asked us to point out.

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The militiaman wh is going under the name of Macer Gifford said he went to Syria two weeks before Christmas and has been trained by the Kurdish People’s Protection Unit.

He allegedly stood in local elections in 2006 when he was just 19, but no-one under that name has stood in any Oxfordshire election or been a member of Oxfordshire Conservatives.

Baran Macer’s Facebook page is filled with pictures of the young man posing with weapons and other fighters in Syria.

His comments include: “Killing time and fighting dash (ISIS).”

The page also states he studied history and politics at University College London from 2006 to 2009.

In an interview with the MailOnline he said he told his parents he was going to Istanbul to work with the Kurds.

He said: “I passionately believe in democracy and freedom of speech, all the rights we take for granted in the UK.

“I have left my family and a comfortable life in Britain to risk suffering the most horrific death at the hands of ISIS.

“But they won’t take me alive. I’ve got a grenade in my pocket and I’ll blow myself up and take them with me. I won’t let my family see me publicly executed.”

Do you know the man in the picture? Contact the Oxford Mail on 01865 425403 or alex.wynick@oxfordmail.co.uk

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