A young German woman has been killed fighting alongside Kurdish forces against the Islamic State in northeast Syria, a monitoring group has reported. Ivana Hoffmann, 19, died on Saturday while fighting with the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) near the Syrian town of Tel Tamr, YPG spokesman Nawaf Khalil said. Hoffmann, a member of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) in Turkey, joined YPG fighters about six months ago, according to a statement released by the MLKP. Hoffmann, born in Germany to South African parents, is the third Westerner - and the first female foreign fighter - known to be killed fighting with Kurdish forces against the Islamic State group. Her death comes after former British soldier Konstandinos Erik Scurfield and Australian Ashley Johnston died in clashes elsewhere in Hasakeh in the last two weeks. Scroll down for video . 'Fought to the last bullet': German fighter Ivana Hoffmann, a member of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) in Turkey has been killed fighting alongside Kurdish forces against the Islamic State . At least 40 Kurdish fighters and ISIS jihadists have been killed in the battle for Tal Tamr, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said earlier on Sunday. The MLKP party statement referred to Hoffmann by her nom de guerre, Avashin Tekoshin, and said she died in pre-dawn clashes with Islamic State militants on March 7. 'Our comrade Avashin had been at the front using her weapons to resist the bloody onslaught of the ISIS gang against the Assyrian villages in Tel Tamr for days,' the statement said. 'During these clashes, dozens of gang members were killed. Our comrade Avashin fought to the last bullet together with the fighters of the YPG.' Relatives mourn at a mass funeral  for 30 YPG fighters killed in clashes with ISIS which led to the liberation of Tal Hamis and Tal Barak, located close to the city of Qamishli in Syria . The Kurdish fighters died along with a former British soldier in battles with ISIS in an area southwest of the town of Tal Hamis, which Kurdish fighters seized from ISIS last week . Relatives and well-wishers mourn at a mass funeral held for thirty YPG fighters  in Tal Hamis, Syria . The party statement did not mention how many other MLKP loyalists have travelled to Syria to fight the Islamic State group. German authorities say some 650 people have travelled from Germany to Syria and Iraq, to join Islamist groups. But they haven't said how many are estimated to have joined Kurdish or Christian groups opposing ISIS. The head of Germany's military intelligence agency, Christof Gramm, told daily Die Welt in an interview published Monday that about 20 former German soldiers had traveled to the conflict zone. A young German woman has been killed fighting alongside female Kurdish Pershmerga forces against the Islamic State in northeast Syria, according to a monitoring group (file picture) Volatile: Reports of the German's death come after former British soldier Konstandinos Erik Scurfield and Australian Ashley Johnston also died in clashes elsewhere in Hasakeh province in the last two weeks . A video posted early Monday morning on a Facebook page paying tribute Hoffmann shows a woman with her face covered by a scarf holding a weapon and speaking German. She refers to Daesh, the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group, and to Rojava, a Kurdish word that denotes the now largely autonomous areas in north and north-eastern Syria run by Kurds. 'Behind us is the territory of Daesh. We've been here for a week. For one week we've been holding our base to defend the Rojava revolution. 'I decided to come to Rojava because they are fighting for humanity here, for rights and for internationalism that the MLKP represents. 'We are here as the MLKP to fight for freedom. Rojava is the beginning. Rojava is hope,' she said. A German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Sawsan Chebli, said she was unaware of reports about Hoffmann's death. News of the German woman's death, which was not immediately confirmed by Berlin, came on International Women's Day. Former Royal Marine Konstandinos Erik Scurfield (above) become the first Briton to die fighting ISIS when he was killed in Syria earlier this month . Women account for around 35 per cent of the fighting force of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), numbering around 7,000, and receive the same training as their male comrades. Mr Scurfield, a former Royal Marine, was the first Briton to be killed fighting ISIS after he was hit by mortar fire near the Syrian city of Qamishli. Last week, it was reported that his Facebook messages revealed his frustration at the lack of discipline displayed by the Kurdish fighters. His posts and messages give a glimpse of day-to-day life for those fighting ISIS, advises interested friends on how to join up and reveals the Kurdish fighters lack of discipline, but huge determination. He also spoke of his fear that the Kurds would tell his mother he had gone to Syria. The messages, published by The Sun, said he began looking for a way to get out to Syria to join up with the YPG at least a month before he arrived in Syria. He was recruited by the Lions of Rojava and by November 3 had clear plans in place for reaching their base in Syria. On December 6, using a Facebook account set up under a fake name so his friends could keep in touch, he messaged to say he has arrived safely in Syria, and met up with two other foreign fighters. But his parents still apparently had no idea where he was - with Mr Scurfield, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, revealing on December 15: 'I've heard about the authorities threatening to tell my parents! 'It is thought the 25-year-old told his friends he was going to do humanitarian work in the war-torn country last year after being 'horrified by the atrocities carried out by ISIS'. It is unclear what Mr Scurfield told his parents, archaeologists Chris and Vicci. Eventually, it seems the Royal Marines did take matters into their own hands, informing his parents sometime between Christmas and January 5. In his final Facebook post, Mr Scurfield, who was an expert in battlefield medicine, revealed: 'The Corps told my mum and I think she's taken it pretty well, I might even think she is a little bit proud.' The messages and posts also give an idea of what foreign fighters heading for Syria to fight with the YPG can expect. Mr Scurfield (pictured kneeling, centre) revealed foreign fighters frustration with the Kurds lack of discipline, but also recorded how impressed he was with their attitude . Mr Scurfield revealed 'quite a lot of Westerners' pack up and leave after a short time, disappointed by the Kruds' 'skills and drills'. But Mr Scurfield was impressed by the attitude of the Kurdish fighters - who are the only troops on the ground fighting . 'The Kurds don't do stuff like us but they never drip about going on patrol,' he wrote. Mr Scurfield's messages also reveal he was waiting for fighting to intensify once more, which would happen in February and March, after the winter came to an end. But then there is silence from the former soldier, and nothing more is thought to have been heard by friends, who were told this week he died on Monday was hit by mortar fire while battling alongside Kurdish forces near the Syrian city of Qamishli. Friends, both in the UK and Syria, have paid tribute to him since. Jordan Matson, a former U.S. soldier now fighting in Syria, wrote: 'Words cannot describe how honored I have been to fight at your side Sehid Kemal (Konstandinos Erik Scurfield). 'We were together from his first day here and you couldn't ask for a more disciplined warrior.'
Ivana Hoffmann, 19, died in battle for Kurdish-held Syrian town of Tel Tamr . She was a member of Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) in Turkey . MLKP: 'Our comrade fought to last bullet to resist bloody onslaught of ISIS'
Comes after ex-British soldier and Australian were killed fighting jihadists .