The Icelandic internationalist Haukur Hilmarsson (Nom de Guerre: Shahin Hosseini) was team commander in the International Freedom Battalion. He fought in Raqqa against the DAESH (ISIS) gangs, and he was part of the resistance in Afrin. During the defense of Afrin, Haukar Hilmarsson was martyred on 24 February 2018 in an artillery attack by the Turkish army in Mabeta district.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released a statement paying tribute to Haukur Hilmarsson:

“The martyr Haukur Hilmarisson is a revolutionary, political, and humanitarian activist from Iceland. He was born in 1986. His mother is Eva Hawkes, an Icelandic activist and writer. Haukur has participated in many political, humanitarian, and ecological events, supporting the oppressed people and the protection of the environment in Iceland and in other countries.

He was arrested during the demonstrations organized by Save Iceland against authorities that misused the environment.

He also participated in demonstrations against the government over economic corruption. At that time, Haukur climbed on the parliament building and raised the flag of one of the most famous capitalist brands run by a millionaire supported by the corrupt government, and after this incident, Haukur became famous in Iceland.

Furthermore, in 2008, he managed to prevent the government from deporting a political refugee named Paul Ramses, separating him from his wife and child, where Haukur sneaked with his friend Jason to the tarmac and prevented the plane from taking off. The incident sparked public opinion and prompted many activists to stand by the refugee Paul, forcing the government to cancel the deportation decision.

Paul and his family still live in Iceland and have been granted Icelandic citizenship, thanks to Haukur and his friend Jason.

With the start of the revolution in northern and eastern Syria and the beginning of the war on terror, Paul decided to travel there and participate in the revolution.

Upon arrival in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, he was arrested by the authorities there and deported to his country, but Haukur did not surrender or give up and returned again and succeeded in entering northern and eastern Syria.

Upon his arrival, he participated in the funeral ceremonies of the three martyrs, David Taylor, Robert Grodot, and Goleman, and wrote an honor letter for their souls.

He joined the SDF in 2017, then underwent intensive military training and chose the code name, Shahin Hosseini.

He went with his comrades to participate in the campaign of liberating Raqqa. He was the team leader of international fighters. They bravely fought ISIS until liberating the city from ISIS terrorism.

With the beginning of the barbaric Turkish aggression on Afrin, Haukur and his group decided to participate in defending the city and its people, so he did the same as the martyr Anna Campbell did, changing the color of his hair and complexion to appear like locals.

In the mountains of Afrin, Haukur and his group fought valiantly and managed to defeat a large group of mercenaries who tried to enter from the Badina region. Martyr Haukur and his comrades never surrendered and did not retreat, and they remained stationed in their positions defending the town and its people against the occupation and its mercenaries until they were targeted by a Turkish airstrike and joined their immortal comrades on February 24, 2018.”