Margaret George Shello

Margaret George Shello (Syriac: ܡܪܓܪܝܬ ܓܝܘܪܓܝܣ ܫܠܘ  Margaret Giwargis d-Gilu; 21 January 1942 – 26 December 1969), (Kurdish: مارگێرێت جورج شێلو) also known as Margaret George Malik or just Margaret George, was a famous Assyrian guerilla fighter and commander of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces during the First Iraqi–Kurdish War. Originally a hospital worker, Shello joined the Peshmerga at the age of 20 in 1963 after her village was attacked by a pro-Iraqi government militia. She was the first female Peshmerga fighter and attracted considerable renown both in Iraq and internationally as the female leader of an all-male unit. In Western Europe, she became known as the "Joan of Arc of the Kurdish Revolution".

After leading her unit successfully in several battles, Shello was killed in unclear circumstances in 1969. Several contradictory accounts have been presented by different groups concerning the manner of her death. Many accounts place the blame on the Kurds, variously claiming that Shello was killed for demanding a higher leadership position, for championing the Assyrian cause as well. Others have blamed her death on assassination either by a rival Kurdish group or by the Iraqi government. She remains one of the most famous Peshmerga commanders and is revered by both Kurds and Assyrians as a freedom fighter, a symbol of bravery and an icon.