A 19-year-old soldier believed to be from Sussex has left his camp in Cyprus to fight Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East.

The squaddie, who was serving with the 2nd Battalion the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment, sent text messages to his parents to say he was going to join the Kurds in Syria and Iraq.

According to a national paper, he shared a barracks with fusilier Lee Rigby who was hacked to death in Woolwich in 2013.

In texts to his parents, reported in the national newspaper, the soldier told how he needed to go and told them he would be safe.

He said he had good skills and could speak the language and said he could help the people and help with their fight.

He signed off by saying that he was sorry to put them through this and said he was aware the move would get him into trouble with the Army.

The soldier’s identity is being concealed to protect him and his family. He has been referred to simply as Private D.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman told The Argus: “We are aware of these reports and are looking into them.”

He is understood to have joined The Lions of Rojava after they paid for his flight to Iraq from the army base in Cyprus last summer.

The guerrilla group are part of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) looking to stem IS’ stranglehold on parts of the Middle East.

Last month alone they killed 608 terrorists and lost 36 fighters in battle, according to their website.

While in Cyprus, the private was part of a squadron known as “The Tigers” who are trained specifically for deployments to the Middle East and North Africa.

In December, the battalion trained in Sulamaniyah, Iraq, alongside Peshmerga militants from Iraqi Kurdistan.

The group trained in tactics, killing and taking over buildings.

Their website states: “As a light role infantry battalion The Tigers are robust, versatile and adaptable.

“We are constantly training and preparing so we remain ready for anything.”