article_snippet: Fellow comrades say Mr Johnston died after a military tank was encircled by ISIS fighters, so the Australian sacrificed Mr Johnston as Mr Johnston 'jumped out of the panzer to cover us' A fellow fighter detailed one of the final conversations Mr Johnston had with Johnston, who said that Mr Johnston fought for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) because Mr Johnston 'couldn't take the children and women that ISIS-thugs slaughtered' The Lions Of Rojava said in a statement: 'What we can disclose is Mr Johnston story of heroism and self-sacrifice for the Kurdish people.
article_snippet: Throughout Mr Johnston time in Syrian Kurdistan Mr Johnston had a positive impact on my people's lives though Mr Johnston humility and kindness to everyone Mr Johnston met. '
article_snippet: Mr Johnston was taken from us in a heroic assault on ISIS positions in a small village near Shingal.
article_snippet: He was a fearless and exceptional soldier as well a great man,' the Facebook statement read.
article_snippet: Days later, a fellow fighter Bejan Dagli a YPJ fighter, told of her final moments spent with Johnston on the same Facebook page.
article_snippet: Dagli says other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death said that 'other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death sacrificed other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death for us'.
article_snippet: When asked how, one of other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death responded with tears in her eyes: 'The panzer that us were inside was encircled by ISIS-thugs and other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death jumped out of The panzer that we were inside to cover us that us could break the encirclement and then other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death got martyred while trying to cover us and break the siege.'
article_snippet: Dagli also released photos Dagli had taken of Johnston just five days before other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death death and wrote about how other comrades who witnessed Johnston's death was picking up Kurdish.
article_snippet: In the images soldiers hug, smile and pose with the peace symbol. '
article_snippet: Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, Defence will not release further information about the former member's military service or their personal details.'
highlights_snippet: 'Australian Ashley Johnston jumped out of the panzer to cover us', a fellow fighter said .