Dillon Hillier, Canadian vet who fought ISIS, returns home safely, parents say

A Canadian veteran has returned home safely after aiding the Kurdish fight against ISIS, according to a statement from his parents posted to social media on Tuesday.

Dillon Hillier, 26, is a retired corporal in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry who flew to northern Iraq in November to fight alongside a group battling the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

On Dec. 1, Hillier posted a dramatic video from the front lines, where he could be seen bandaging a wounded man. While it's not illegal for Canadians to join the Kurdish Pshmerga, the federal government is discouraging military veterans from doing it.

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On Tuesday, Jane and Randy Hillier posted a joint statement to Facebook confirming their son Dillon has returned home safely.

We are proud and relieved that Dillon has returned safely home from the middle-east- Randy and Jane Hillier, Dillon's parents

"Jane and I would like to express our deep appreciation to all those who contacted us, offering their thoughtful and generous support to our son Dillon while he was engaged alongside the Peshmerga in Iraqi Kurdistan against the Islamic State (ISIL)," the statement read.

"We are proud and relieved that Dillon has returned safely home from the middle-east."

The statement goes on to say Dillon Hillier would need time to re-adjust and reunite with friends and family before any further public statement is made.

• On mobile? Click here to see the tweet from Randy Hillier, Dillon's father.

Just before Christmas, Hillier's brother Russell carried out crowdsourcing to pay for military gear that would be sent to help the fight in Iraq.

At that time, Russell Hillier said his brother decided to go to Iraq after the terrorist attacks in Ottawa.

Hillier was one of a half-dozen former Canadian Forces personnel whom CBC News previously reported had planned to join the Kurdish military, it was reported in December.

Dillon Hillier had been working as a welder in Calgary before travelling to the Middle East.