Oxford man John Evans says his son Dean Carl Evans has been killed fighting so-called ISIS in Syria

John Evans says his 22-year-old son Dean Carl Evans was killed on Friday, July 22, "fighting for our country".

The former Wallingford School pupil posted the news on Facebook and friends shared their condolences.

Mr Evans wrote: "My son Dean Carl Evans born the 7/10/93 sadly was killed in sirea [sic] on Friday he was loved and will be missed by all his family and friends rip son xx xx."

After friends offered their condolences Mr Evans added a second post saying: "I would like to say a massive big thank you to all my freinds and family who sent there condolence for the loss of my son he would have been very proud and would have regarded you all as his brothers and sisters, thank you again."

It is understood that Dean Carl Evans, who lived in Reading, had joined the People's Defence Units (YPG) - a Kurdish military force fighting so-called ISIS in northern Syria.

In a statement, the International Brigades of Rojava, an armed group fighting alongside the People's Defence Units, said Mr Evans had been "martyred" and said he was a hero.

A pro-Kurdish activist, who said he is representing the family, said Dean Evans and a female fighter from the women's Kurdish military organisation YPJ were killed by an IS rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) in Manbij.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "Dean was on the very front line and had been shot by an Isis-fired bullet and had fallen behind a wall.

"A Kurdish woman fighter for the YPJ had gone to his aid to attend to him and then both of them were tragically hit by an ISIS RPG rocket and tragically they both died."

The London-based activist said Mr Evans had wanted to join the Army but was unable to because of his asthma.

"He had followed the fight against Isis and had gone last year to fight against Isis with the Kurdish forces and then he returned this year in March and found himself on the front line in Manbij," he said.

Mr Evans did not want to be repatriated in the event of his death, but wished to be buried with his "Kurdish brothers and sisters", he added.

According to his facebook page, John Evans has served in the British Army.

It is not known how much military training his son had before travelling to Syria.