Reece Harding (Heval Bagok) was from Benowa, City of Gold Coast, Australia. He was commemorated by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the 7th anniversary of his death.

The SDF said that Heval Bagok was "the fighter who was martyred for humanity."

Reece lived with his parents and his younger brother in their suburban home in Benowa, Australia.
When he was eight-year-old, he was a national swimming champion with Olympic potential.
Reece exposed ISIS’s crimes against innocent civilians, and once he said to his mother, “Why does the world do nothing to help these innocent people?”

The SDF said in a statement: “On 2 May 2015, Heval Bagok left Australia without informing his friends or family about his plan, heading to northeastern Syria. Upon his arriving, he sent a letter to his mother saying, ‘Mom, don’t worry about me. I’m doing humanitarian work.’

On 4 May 2015, Reece joined the Syrian Democratic Forces with the Nom de Guerre Heval Bagok. He met the English fighter Joe Akerman and joined the (EOD) squad responsible for removing explosives planted by ISIS terrorists in civilian villages.

His comrade Joe Akerman says: “Reece wasn’t out there to get a name for himself, or for any press, or for any money. He was just out there to help.”

On Saturday night, 27 June 2015, his six-fighter unit was on a mine-clearing mission in the village of al-Musheirfa, about 35 kilometers north of Raqqa city. When they were walking on a field, they were attacked by ISIS terrorists. Reece stepped on one of the hidden wires of the anti-tank mine and was killed instantly, while his five comrades were injured. Reece was the second Australian martyr in the SDF. He was 23 years old at the time of his death.

His body was handed over to his family to be buried in Melbourne, Australia. In his memory, his photo was put on a memorial in Qamishlo city with other martyrs’ photos.