Old, Bulletproof BMW Helped Save Dozens of Lives in ISIS Attack

It might not be your first choice of vehicle for fleeing ISIS militants, but this ’90s-era BMW helped save dozens of lives in an attack last month in Iraq.

It all started when Ako Abdulrahman, a Kurdish Peshmerga fighter, decided he wanted some protection from ISIS militants that were surrounding the city of Kirkuk, near where he and his family live. So he bought an early-’90s bulletproof BMW 7 Series at an auction for $10,000.

“My friends were very happy when I bought the armored car,” he told CNN. “We started driving in it to the front line near Kirkuk, not worried about ISIS drive-by shootings or roadside bombs.”

The BMW became a lifesaver, literally, on October 21 when ISIS carried out a series of attacks. Abdulrahman drove the bulletproof BMW right through the line of fire to save those who were injured, returning multiple times to collect more people. He ended up transporting more than 70 wounded people away from danger, he says, also carrying those who had died during the shootings.

“I kept telling myself, my people are in danger, they need me, my city is in danger, I have to protect it,” the Kurdish fighter told CNN. Abdulrahman said his BMW endured more than 50 bullets. In total, more than 100 civilians and security personnel were injured during the attack, and 64 died, reports CNN.

The city of Kirkuk later recognized the soldier’s bravery during a meeting with the governor at the governor’s office. But when BMW wanted to give him a new car, he turned down the offer. Instead, he decided to repair his own car so he could keep driving it.

Source: CNN

Photo Source: Maxim via Twitter

The post Old, Bulletproof BMW Helped Save Dozens of Lives in ISIS Attack appeared first on Motor Trend.



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