He is an ardent Millwall fan who used to run a South London cafe. Now Polad Talabani leads a crack unit of Kurdish soldiers in Iraq who are taking the fight to the Islamic State. His cousin, Bafel Ahmed, asked Polad, who was born in Iraqi Kurdistan but raised in Beckenham, South-East London, to come to Iraq to fight for his homeland in 2003. Bafel said: ‘One day he’s cooking fry-ups and a month later we were jumping out of helicopters in [the city of] Fallujah.’ Scroll down for video . 'Best man for the job': Millwall fan Polad Talabani, above in sunglasses, was born in Iraqi Kurdistan but raised in Beckenham, South-East London. He is in charge of special forces and counter terrorism in the Kurdistan region . Polad and his brother Lahur spent their early years in Kurdistan before fleeing Saddam Hussein’s regime and eventually settling in the UK. Both went to Crofton Park School in Lewisham. Polad later took a motor mechanics course at Bromley College, while his brother, who is also in Iraq running an intelligence organisation, studied business at Greenwich University. Polad is in charge of special forces and counter terrorism in the Kurdistan region and has been fighting IS since June. His cousin said: ‘He would rather be here at home with his friends and family, going out on a Friday and going to the football on Saturday. But somebody has to do it and he’s the best man for the job.’ Armed: UK Islamic State fighters in a picture posted online. Polad has been fighting IS since June .
Polad Talabani was born in Iraqi Kurdistan but raised South-East London .
His cousin Bafel Ahmed asked him to come to Iraq to fight in 2003 .
Polad is in charge of special forces and counter terrorism in the region .
He is an ardent Millwall fan who used to run a South London cafe. Now Polad Talabani leads a crack unit of Kurdish soldiers in Iraq who are taking the fight to the Islamic State. His cousin, Bafel Ahmed, asked Polad, who was born in Iraqi Kurdistan but raised in Beckenham, South-East London, to come to Iraq to fight for his homeland in 2003. Bafel said: ‘One day he’s cooking fry-ups and a month later we were jumping out of helicopters in [the city of] Fallujah.’ Scroll down for video . 'Best man for the job': Millwall fan Polad Talabani, above in sunglasses, was born in Iraqi Kurdistan but raised in Beckenham, South-East London. He is in charge of special forces and counter terrorism in the Kurdistan region . Polad and his brother Lahur spent their early years in Kurdistan before fleeing Saddam Hussein’s regime and eventually settling in the UK. Both went to Crofton Park School in Lewisham. Polad later took a motor mechanics course at Bromley College, while his brother, who is also in Iraq running an intelligence organisation, studied business at Greenwich University. Polad is in charge of special forces and counter terrorism in the Kurdistan region and has been fighting IS since June. His cousin said: ‘He would rather be here at home with his friends and family, going out on a Friday and going to the football on Saturday. But somebody has to do it and he’s the best man for the job.’ Armed: UK Islamic State fighters in a picture posted online. Polad has been fighting IS since June .
cousin, Bafel Ahmed, asked Polad, who was born in South-East London, to come to Iraq to fight for was born in Iraqi Kurdistan but raised in special forces and counter terrorism in the Greenwich University. Polad is in charge of