Wyatt Roy Got Into A Fight With ISIS And No One Can Quite Deal With It

    This is really real.

    Mark Di Stefano
    by Mark Di Stefano

    BuzzFeed News Political Editor, Australia

    Wyatt Roy, Australia's youngest ever federal politician, has been attacked by ISIS fighters during an unannounced trip to Iraq.

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    Photos of the 26-year-old, sporting Ray Bans and a beard, emerged on Thursday, showing the former MP visiting Kurdish fighters in Sinjar, west of Mosul.

    Speaking over the phone from Erbil International airport, where he was drinking chai tea, Roy told BuzzFeed News the attack from armed ISIS militants was "pretty unexpected".

    "We came under fire and [the Kurdish fighters] pushed them back. We got in a car and got out of there. There was then a coalition air strike called," said Roy.

    According to SBS News, five ISIS fighters were killed in the attack on Roy and his companions.

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    Roy was visiting the Kurdish areas of Iraq at the invitation of private consultant and former David Cameron-adviser, Samuel Coates.

    "We were visiting Sinjar to see where the Yazidis had fled up the mountain," Coates told BuzzFeed News.

    "The frontline is still nearby so we took the opportunity to talk to them. It's not unusual for politicians and journalists to go there but it's normally nearer the capital Erbil."

    Roy insisted he was not breaching any Australian law and stayed away from visiting areas currently under control orders. He said, "the Australian government didn't know I was here".

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    "[Kurdistan} has the potential to be a prosperous and peaceful society in a chaotic and sectarian part of the world," said Roy.

    "We should support the people here. The west has a 'one Iraq' policy and I understand that, but a peaceful and prosperous Kurdistan is what we should fight for."

    A statement from the local Kurdish forces, sent to BuzzFeed News through Roy's traveling consultant, said it "was a pleasure to host Wyatt Roy here in Sinjar".

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    "[Roy] is the first foreign public figure to visit the city since liberation, and to spend time with our troops on the frontline," read the statement from Kurdish commander Sime Bosali.

    "He showed a genuine interest in what we were doing. We welcome any international friend to show their solidarity and see for themselves the challenges we face."

    Roy, who became the youngest politician ever elected to federal parliament in 2010, lost his seat at the 2016 election. Since then, the former assistant innovation minister has taken a job with a venture capital fund.

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    But the news of the 26-year-old's trip to the ISIS frontlines sent everyone into a tailspin.

    Andrew Brown @AndrewBrownAU

    His gap year>all of yours

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    Rohan Salmond @RJSalmond

    Taking agility and innovation to the EXTREME https://t.co/d8IwRZVAh2

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    j.r. hennessy @jrhennessy

    'Joining the Peshmerga' is the strongest response to losing a seat in Parliament yet seen imo

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    🍗 Nuggy Gearo 🍖 @bortofdarkness

    i dont think isis will be scared of a man called wyatt

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    Brihony Speed @brihonyspeed

    Wyatt Roy loses his seat and goes to Iraq. Can't wait to see what Ewen Jones does to top that.

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    Dan Smith @0DanSmith

    "I'm here to point at things and fight ISIS. ... And I'm all out of things to point at."

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    David Rolph @dkrolph

    Forget the ISIS angle. We need to talk about bearded Wyatt Roy.

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    Brigid Delaney @BrigidWD

    wyatt roy could be played by matthew newton in the film

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    Tim Bennett @flashman

    startups are serious business

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    Tiger Webb @tfswebb

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