From Russia with love: Female Palestinian paratroopers trained in Soviet skies

Four female officers in the Palestinian national security service have received training in Russia as paratroopers, a security official told Ma'an Tuesday.

"Four women in their early twenties were chosen for this unprecedented experience in the Arab world, and in Palestine in particular," Hafith Rifaay, a national security spokesman told Ma'an.

"They hovered like hawks in the sky seeking to raise the name of a homeland which has always been present in the international arena," he added.

The four security officers completed various training courses, including training in 'thunderbolt' units. They were chosen to perform paratrooper training in Russia and will join several other training courses afterwards.

"At first we felt a little bit scared, but as we remembered we are here to raise the name of our homeland high, we forgot our fears and started to check on each other until we landed safely," Manar Barahma, 20, told Ma'an.

Barahma said that she and several other women joined the Palestinian national security services over a year ago.