British filmmaker Mehmet Aksoy 'is killed during Isis attack in Syria'

British filmmaker Mehmet Aksoy was killed by the Islamic State while working with Kurdish forces in Syria, his friends and Kurdish activists confirmed.

The 32-year-old from London was working as a press officer for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), when the military base where he was stationed in Raqqa was struck on Tuesday (26 September).

Aksoy was the founder and editor-in-chief of Kurdish Question, which delved into the issues of the Kurdish people and other ethnic groups.

His death was confirmed by friends as around 300 British Kurds, including Aksoy's parents, held a vigil at the Kurdish Community Centre in north London, The Guardian reported.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria. As all UK consular services are suspended in Syria, it is extremely difficult to confirm the whereabouts and status of British nationals in the country."

Aksoy reportedly traveled to Syria on 22 July without telling his parents, who own an off-licence in Luton.

For three months, he filmed the battle for Raqqa and published his videos on social media and other websites. As part of his job, Aksoy liaised with journalists around the world covering the conflict.

"Mehmet never fought - that was never his plan," friend Aladdin Sinayic, 38, told the Guardian.

"He told me just before he left that there are better ways he could fight Isis than with a gun. He said there are many great fighters offering their lives to defeat Isis but they are not visible to the world. He wanted to tell their stories and show the world what the Kurds are doing in Syria."

According to the Guardian, Aksoy, a Turkish Kurd, moved to the UK with his family 22 years ago. He is believed to be the fifth British citizen to have been killed while volunteering with Kurdish forces.