Pokémon GO: 11 Insane Player Stories You Won't Believe Actually Happened
9. Soldier Finds A Squirtle While Fighting ISIS
Little thought is given to the disruption global conflict causes to the natural habitats of Pokémon. But the Pokémon are fighting back, and this powerful image of a Squirtle standing down a volunteer soldier fighting ISIS in Kurdistan is right up there with those '60s photos of hippies sticking flowers down riot soldiers' gun barrels.
The snapshot was taken by former US marine Louis Park, who was in the Kurdish town of Dohuk, about an hour's drive from the front line. Park praised the Poké-facilities in Dohuk, saying, "On the front line, I was only able to catch the starters, but here in Dohuk they've got gyms and Pokéstops and everything."
Contrary to what us gamers imagine, Park's experience of war isn't exactly Battlefield 4, and he says "most of the days are boring". The Pokémon GO trend also seems to be catching on in the middle east, as Park says he's met a few players in Dohuk who also play the game.
All of this leaves one question unanswered: what the hell is a Squirtle doing in the middle of the desert?