In 2015 the YPG made ally agreements with a number of Syrian Democratic Forces and supported the ousting of DAESH held territory outside of Rojva proper including a joint Free Syrian Army-YPG operation called Euphrates Volcano and the Tishrin Dam Offensive. [citation needed] The subsequent Battle of Ras al-Ayn started in earnest when on 19 November 2012, the al-Nusra Front and a second al-Qaeda affiliate, Ghuraba al-Sham, attacked Kurdish positions in the town. It found cases of YPG fighters forcibly displacing residents and using fire and bulldozers to raze homes and other structures.[102][103]. Aiming mostly to defend Kurdish-majority areas, it avoided engaging Syrian government forces, which still controlled several enclaves in Kurdish territory. [79] However, statements from the US that the aid did not contain TOW's or anti-aircraft weapons made it clear that the U.S. continued to have serious regard for the interests of Turkey, which has warned against continued US support for the YPG. (Before he was injured, he communicated through a few words of Kurdish and a lot of gesturing.) [28] However, the general outcome of this campaign was a massive advance by ISIL, which effectively separated the eastern part of Rojava from the main force of FSA rebels. All the smart, educated and wealthy people are leaving Rojava en masse. 14 January 2016. In 2015, the YPG began its advance on Tel Abyad, a move they have planned for since November 2013. Other prominent foreign volunteers have included Brace Belden, Macer Gifford,[58] Ryan Lock,[59] Michael Israel,[60] Dean Evans,[61] Jac Holmes,[62] Anna Campbell, Lorenzo Orsetti and Haukur Hilmarsson. From prison Ocalan began to incorporate more libertarian socialist ideological planks to the PKKs platform, specifically from the works of Murray Bookchins Social Ecology and Libertarian Municipalism. At the start of the Syrian Civil War the YPG took a defensive position to protect Kurdish majority regions in the country; however, after a 2012 stand-off between the Syrian Government forces and attacks on Kurdish towns by Al-Qaeda affiliates Al-Nursa Front and Ghuraba Al-Sham they began to take the offensive against the fundamentalist groups and reached an agreement with the Syrian government. The YPG's seizure of Til Koer in October 2013 (cf. Reports in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail said he was 25 years old. If yes can he/she help to reactivate the account of our admin? [110] In response, the YPG and YPJ signed the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment protecting children in armed conflict, prohibiting sexual violence and against gender discrimination in July 2014,[111] and Kurdish security forces (YPG and Asayish) began receiving human rights training from Geneva Call and other international organisations with the YPG pledging publicly to demobilize all fighters under 18 within a month and began to enact disciplinary measures against commanders of the units that had involved in corruption and accepting recruit under age of 18 to their ranks. NuggzTheNinja. [44], The YPG calls itself a people's army, and therefore appoints officers by internal elections. The battle ended with a YPG victory in July 2013. [120][121], "YPG" redirects here. [53] The Turkish Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) has been sending volunteers to fight in the YPG since 2012. [29] The YPG won the battle in early 2015. These operations extended SDF-controlled territory, usually at ISIL's expense. A Facebook page called the Lions of Rojava was recruiting foreign volunteers. Participating forces included the YPG, the FSA group Army of Revolutionaries, the tribal group al-Sanadid Forces and the Assyrian Syriac Military Council. The party released a video in late January 2015 showing several Spanish- and German-speaking volunteers from Europe among its ranks in Jazira Canton; they were reorganised into the International Freedom Battalion on 10 June 2015. In February 2015, the YPG signed a judicial agreement with the Levant Front in Aleppo. The land that they now hold is known as the Federation of Northern Syria-Rojava and is a recognized autonomous region. "He and American people are gonna stay in memory and hearts of the people of Rojava,but war and resistance against ISIS cannot stop untill we take revenge for all of our martyrs.Glory for ehd Agir an example of brotherhood,humanity and bravery.He joined ypg in 15/2/2015 and [67], Several Australians, including former trade unionist and politician Matthew Gardiner,[68] have been involved with the YPG despite threats by Australia to prosecute any citizens involved in the Syrian Civil War. Has Lions of Rojava shut down for good? The YPG was formed in 2011. The Icelandic Haukur Hilmarsson, aged 31, was killed on 24 February 2018 in an artillery attack by the Turkish army in the village of Mabeta, Afrin. This sparked immediate conversations with the anti-child-recruitment NGO Geneva Call which resulted in a broad new military directive strictly prohibiting all recruitment of persons under 18, ordering that any such persons within SDF be immediately removed from the payroll and transferred to the custody of the civilian Authority For Education, mandating the appointment of an ombudsman in each military service to receive and investigate reports of child recruitment, and ordering punitive measures by military police and by the SDF's Military Discipline Department against anyone found to be responsible for child recruitment. Solidarity with Female Fighters in Kurdistan. After negotiations, government forces withdrew and the YPG took control of Koban, Amuda, and Afrin. After Turkey threatened to go to war with Syria in 1998 due to the PKK presence in their country Syria expelled the party and Turkey arrested their leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1999 with the support of the CIA. Forced displacement of civilians and destruction of civilian property is not a war crime per se. last of the mohicans - ypg - ypj international - kurdistan - rojava - pkk - kurde - kurdish - kurds Young people are not inspired by the revolution, instead being attracted to European society because of what they see on the television. 3. Outspoken communist living in the heart of the American Empire. [41] Consisting of approximately 20,000 fighters, they make up around 40% of the YPG. Army soldier Jordan Matson was among the first foreign volunteers of the YPG. Syrian Kurdistan and the Kurdish enclave of Sheikh Maqsood in Aleppo. [16], While many rebel groups clashed with the YPG, jihadist and Salafist groups did so the most often. According to the YPG, circumstances led to their capture of less equipment from the Syrian Army than other opposition groups did. [84], On 9 May 2017, it was announced by the Pentagon that American President Donald Trump approved of a plan that would have the United States directly provide heavy armaments to the major SDF component group, the YPG; the plan comes before a planned final offensive to capture Raqqa from ISIL. This was followed in December by the Tishrin Dam offensive. [48], Compared to other factions engaged in the Syrian Civil war, the YPG has not received significant foreign assistance in the form of weapons and military equipment. They stated that the family members of terrorists maintained communications with them, and therefore had to be removed from areas where they might pose a danger. The People's Protection Units, also called People's Defense Units , is a mainly-Kurdish militia in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Kurdish youth attempted to unify themselves following the 2004 Qamishli riots. In 2003, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Kurdish opposition party in the Syrian parliament with ties to the PKK, was formed and in 2004 they supported the Qamishli Uprising. In the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (DAESH) in Northern Syria an influential group of Kurdish forces known as the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) nicknamed by In mid-2016 the YPG moved into territories held by the Free Syrian Army and the Turkish military began an offensive on them that has killed many YPG members as well as Kurdish civilians. . The YPG collaborated with FSA groups to fight ISIL in Raqqa province;[27] the group also formed an operations room with multiple FSA factions, called Euphrates Volcano. While it expected that ISIL would quickly crush the YPG and the FSA, this alliance was not considered a problem for the US. [15], The YPG did not initially take an offensive posture in the Syrian Civil War. [104] It furthermore states that "the circumstances of some of these displacements suggested that they were carried out in retaliation for people's perceived sympathies with, or family ties to, suspected members of ISIL or other armed groups",[105] thus constituting "collective punishment, which is a violation of international humanitarian law". For other uses, see, Vertical red flag of the YPG, used since 2011 until early 2013, Horizontal red flag of the YPG, used since 2011 until early 2013, Variant of the horizontal red flag, also used until early 2013, Yellow flag of the YPG, first used since late 2012, widely adopted in 2013 and since then the official flag of the militia, Collapse of Islamic State in Syria (April Nov. 2017), Syrian War spillover and international incidents, Foreign involvement in the Syrian Civil War, Late 2012: Islamist attacks make YPG dominant, 2013: Kurdish control of al-Yaarubiyah/Til Koer, Spring 2015: Offensive operations with coalition support, Allegations concerning violations of international law and war crimes, Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016), Al-Hasakah Governorate campaign (201213), Western al-Bab offensive (OctoberNovember 2016), 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria, Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War, Turkish military intervention in Syria (January 2018present), List of military equipment used by Syrian Democratic Forces, International Freedom Battalion International Freedom Battalion fatalities, Syrian Democratic Forces' Deir ez-Zor Military Council, Human rights in the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria DFNS-associated militias, Syrian Democratic Forces Reported war crimes, Human rights violations during the Syrian Civil War Syrian Democratic Forces, Human rights in Syria Human rights in the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War, "Armed Kurds Surround Syrian Security Forces in Qamishli", "PYD announces surprise interim government in Syria's Kurdish regions", "Syrian terrorist list produces 163 names and no agreement", "UA 15/05 Torture and ill-treatment/ possible unfair trial", "Meet the YPG, the Kurdish militia that doesn't want help from anyone", "Arabs Across Syria Join the Kurdish-Led Syrian Democratic Forces", "Kurds Give Ultimatum to Syrian Security Forces", "The Kurdish Protection Units have formed a new brigade in the AlBab region", "Kurds expel jihadists from flashpoint Syrian town: NGO", "Flight of Icarus? It is unclear whether The Lions of Rojava are to become an International Brigade la the Spanish Civil War (famously written about in George Orwells Homage to Catalonia) or whether recruits would be injected organically into the YPGs platoons as Matson apparently was. In 2014, the Syriac Military Council, a group of Assyrian units, was formally integrated into the YPG's command structure. The Democratic Federation of Northern Syria is an autonomous enclave experimenting with a radical form of democracy called Democratic Confederalism. In 2014, after the rise of DAESH, the YPG in conjunction with the Free Syrian Army/Syrian Opposition Forces began an offensive on the large tracts of land held by the self proclaimed caliphate. A sister militia, the Women's Protection Units(YPJ), fights along Geneva Call immediately praised the SDF's wide-ranging initiative to eliminate and prevent child recruitment throughout all of SDF's military organizations. After the uprising, the PYD was repressed by Syrian forces until the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES), also known as Rojava, is a de facto autonomous region in northeastern Syria. In August 2014 Mazlum Koban led negotiations with the US in Sulaymaniya, which led to a military alliance against ISIL. [69] Under Australian law it is a criminal offence to fight with any side in a foreign conflict. **UPDATE** viaKurdish Question. It consists of a Kurdish majority with Arab, Turkish and other foreign nationals including US, Canadian, UK,and Latin American nationals of various ethnicities. [72] In the state of Bavaria, fines for showing a YPG flag are issued, while the federal government declares that the YPG is not forbidden.[73]. The figures are estimates only based on the balance sheet that the YPG regularly publishes of its activities. I can't answer how willing they are to do that, but weigh the importance of your research versus their war effort in making a decision like that. [93], The YPG's press office media operation has been a particular focus of its opponents, with Turkey bombing its premises in Cizire Canton in April 2017,[94] and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) singling out its premises in Raqqa for a raid during the late stages of the Battle of Raqqa in September 2017. [114], According to the annual UN report of 2018,[115][116] there were 224 cases of child recruitment by the YPG and its women's unit, the YPJ, in 2017, an almost fivefold increase from the previous year. Kurdish media have said that YPJ troops became vital during the Siege of Koban. These acts only become a war crime when there is no "imperative military necessity" for them. Smart and capable people are leaving to the west. ", "Thousands of Syrians flee into Turkey amid intense fighting", "Declaration of establishment by Syrian Democratic Forces", "U.S.-backed alliance captures key dam from Islamic State alliance spokesman", "Photos of Tishrin Dam, Liberated from ISIS", "MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS: Jaish al-Islam", "Middle East Concerns grow about abuses, war crimes in Syria", Syrian rebels admit chemical use against Kurds, "Meet the Kurdish Women Fighting ISIS in Syria", "Profil Rojda Felat. [83], During the Battle of Tabqa (2017), YPG special forces were equipped with US-supplied combat helmets, AN/PVS-7 night vision devices, flashlights, and were armed with M4 carbines equipped with AN/PEQ-2 laser sights, holographic weapon sights, and STANAG magazines. When the YPG and the FSA entered the border town of Tell Abyad in June 2015, parts of the population fled the intense fighting and the airstrikes.[33]. Many of the partners are the same, and even the logo / flag with the Blue Euphrates symbol has common traits with that of Euphrates Volcano. The riots resulted in around 36 dead, most of them Kurds. Kurdish Question. ISIL followed up on its success by attacking the YPG and the FSA in Koban Canton in March and fighting its way to the gates of the city of Koban in September. The YPG is active in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (Rojava), particularly in its Kurdish regions. Emergency Committee For Rojava. The first airdrop consisted of 112 pallets of ammunition and "other items like hand grenades", totaling 50 tons. [89] However in July 2019, Rashid Abu Khawla the head of the Syrian Democratic Forces' Deir ez-Zor Military Council stated that the Syrian Democratic Forces had cooperated with Russia. 65. At least four have been killed in battle as of February 2015one during the Battle of Ras al-Ayn and three during the Siege of Koban. The People's Protection Units, also called People's Defense Units (Kurdish: , romanized:Yekneyn Parastina Gel (YPG) pronounced[jkinjen pstn l]; Arabic: , romanized:Wadt imyat a-ab; Classical Syriac: , romanized:doywotho d'Sutoro d'Amo), is a mainly-Kurdish militia in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). [26] PYD leader Salih Muslim told Strk TV that this success created an alternative against efforts to hold the territory under embargo,[26] referring to the fact that the other border crossings with Iraq led to areas controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government, while al-Yaarubiyah led to areas controlled by the Iraqi central government. [46][47] The attack was commended by pro-SDF sources as a courageous attack against a tank using explosives, which killed her in the process. [53][54][55][56] People from both China and the Chinese diaspora have also joined.[57]. It is the only organization in the region with dedicated groups of women fighters called the Womens Defense Units (YPJ), and is the only far-left group in the region to have gained substantial ground in the conflict.This is their story: It begins with the division of historical Kurdistan between 4 states (Iraq,Syria,Iran and Turkey)at the end of World War 1 and the rise of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in 1978. The NGO Fight For Humanity conducted multiple training sessions with hundreds of SDF commanders about the UN-SDF Action Plan To Prevent Child Recruitment, and distributed informational posters and flyers about it written in both Arabic and Kurdish, as part of an ongoing educational process. 21/7/2016 YPG gave statement about the martyrdom of ehd Agir ervan (Levi Shirley)-. Hello dear Followers of The Lions Of Rojava one of our admin Facebook account has been deactivated by Facebook. In 20162017, the SDF's Raqqa campaign led to the liberation of the city of Raqqa, the Islamic State's de facto capital. The PYD's Precarious Rise in Syria", "YPG Commander: Kurds Are Bulwark Against Islamic Extremism in Syria", "Kurdish Woman Leading Battle Against Islamic State in Kobane: Activists", "Woman leads Kurds in battle against Islamic State in Kobane: activists", "Kurdish woman leads fight against ISIS in Kobane", "FSA and YPG cooperate against ISIL militants in Syria's Tel Abyad", "YPG and FSA form a joint military chamber to combat ISIS in Syria", "U.S. military: Airstrikes against ISIS won't save key city of Kobani", "KURDISH YPG AND JABHAT AL-SHAMIYA AGREEMENT ON JUDICIARY COOPERATION IN ALEPPO", "Refworld | Kurdish Strategy Towards Ethnically-Mixed Areas in the Syrian Conflict", "Is Tal Abyad a turning point for Syria's Kurds? This resulted in clashes between the two groups who attacked each other with sticks, stones and knives. The actual Siege of Koban approximately coincided with an escalation in the American-led intervention in Syria. [118], On 15 July 2020, SDF issued a new military order prohibiting child recruitment. News nobody wants, irrelevant items, odd bits of minutia. Foreign intervention in behalf of Syrian Rebels. Posts Tagged Lions of Rojava. The key to its success is autonomy. 365. The clashes lasted about three days, with the Til Koer border gate to Iraq being taken in a major offensive launched on the night of 24 October. Subject: Re:The Lions of Rojava . The YPG would be.more questionable, but the Iraqi Kurds are a U.S. ally we worked with pretty extensively, considering the number of foreign fighters starting to show up including Coalition vets in Iraq and Syria. In February, the YPG-led SDF launched the al-Shaddadi offensive, followed by the Manbij offensive in May, and the Raqqa and Aleppo offensives in November. It consists of self-governing sub-regions in the areas of Afrin, Jazira, Euphrates, Raqqa, Tabqa, Manbij and Deir Ez-Zor. The first success of the SDF was the capture of the strategic ethnically Arab town of al-Hawl from ISIL during the al-Hawl offensive in November 2015. 363. [1][14], By December 2012, it had expanded to eight brigades, which were formed in Qamishlo, Koban, and Ras al-Ayn (Ser Kaniy), and in the districts of Afrin, al-Malikiyah, and al-Bab. In October 2013, YPG fighters took control of al-Yaarubiyah (Til Koer) following intense clashes with ISIL. Join the Lions of Rojava Posted on November 3, 2015 November 3, 2015 by rojavaofficial I agree with the comments on Rojavas official FB page that The YPG and affiliated groups are designated as terrorist organizations by only Turkey and Qatar.[9]. Government security forces entered the city to quell the riot, firing at the crowds. [78], On 11 October 2015, the US began an operation to airdrop 120 tons of military supplies to the YPG and its local Arab and Turkmen allies to fight ISIL north of Raqqa. [74] The United States provided the YPG with air support during the Siege of Koban[75] and during later campaigns, helping the YPG defend territory against attacks by the Islamic State. [18] While the YPG protected the Kurdish communities it was able to extract a price: it prevented the emergence of new, rival militias and forced existing ones to cooperate with or join the YPG forces on its terms. The YPG was formed in 2011. [Profile Rojda Felat. The PKK was a Marxist-Leninist party that sought national liberation and unification of the Kurdish majority regions in all 4 states. The dam was captured on 26 December. [81][82] Some of these special forces participated in the al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) and coordinated airstrikes against ISIL. Today, the Lions of Rojava Facebook page is recruiting foreigners into YPG the way Bob Brown used Soldier of Fortune to recruit Americans to join the Rhodesian They did not, however, emerge as a significant force until the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011. [77], The YPG also received 27 bundles totalling 24 tons of small arms and ammunition and 10 tons of medical supplies from the United States and Iraqi Kurdistan during the Siege of Koban. [96], The U.S. State Department reacted by starting an inquiry into the allegations. [85][86][87], With Russia's entrance into the war in late 2015 backing the Syrian government, some reports have reported that the YPG coordinated with or received weapons from Russia, with rival opposition groups stating that the timing and targeting of Russian airstrikes were "suspiciously advantageous" to the Kurdish militias.