Syrian Democratic Forces

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Syrian Democratic Forces
قوات سوريا الديمقراطية‎
Quwwāt Sūriyā al-Dīmuqrāṭīya
Hêzên Sûriya Demokratîk
Haylawotho d'Suriya Demoqratoyto
Participant in Syrian Civil War
Flag of the Syrian Democratic Forces
Flag of the Syrian Democratic Forces
Active 10 October 2015 – present
Ideology
Groups

Mainly Kurdish militias

Mixed Kurdish/Arab militias

Mainly Arab militias

Assyrian militias

Turkmen militias

Political wing

Syrian Democratic Council
Headquarters Al-Hasakah, Syria
Area of operations Aleppo Governorate
Hasakah Governorate[3]
Al-Raqqah Governorate
Deir ez-Zor Governorate[4]
Strength ≈80,000[5] (including 50,000 YPG)[6]
Allies
Opponents
Battles and wars

Syrian Civil War

The Syrian Democratic Forces (Kurdish: Hêzên Sûriya Demokratîk‎, Arabic: قوات سوريا الديمقراطية‎, translit. Quwwāt Sūriyā al-Dīmuqrāṭīya‎; Syriac: Haylawotho d'Suriya Demoqratoyto‎) commonly abbreviated as SDF or QSD, are an alliance of Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian, Armenian, Turkmen and Circassian militias in the Syrian Civil War, fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and against those parts of the rebellion who cooperate with Al-Nusra Front and other islamist groups like Ahrar al-Sham. The SDF claims fighting to create a secular, democratic and federal Syria. Their goals and military operations are part of the larger Rojava Revolution taking place in northern Syria in which residents are carrying out de facto self-rule based on the principles of direct democracy and democratic confederalism. On 10 December 2015, after a two-day conference, it established its political wing, called the Syrian Democratic Council.[15][16]

The SDF has focused primarily on ISIS,[17] successfully driving them from important strategic areas, such as Shaddadi,[18] Al-Hawl and the Tishrin Dam.[19]

Around 60% of SDF members are Kurds, while around 40% are non-Kurds.[20] According to The Economist, the SDF has been described as "essentially a subsidiary of the Kurdish YPG".[21]

Establishment[edit]

The establishment of the SDF was announced on 11 October 2015 during a press conference in al-Hasakah.[22]

The alliance builds upon the successful Euphrates Volcano joint operations of the Syrian Kurdish YPG and certain factions of the Free Syrian Army, who helped defend the Kurdish town of Kobanî. Euphrates Volcano was later joined by Liwa Thuwwar al-Raqqa, who participated in the capture of Tell Abyad from the Islamic State. The larger Syrian Democratic Forces alliance also includes forces from the self-administered Jazira Canton, such as the Christian Syriac Military Council and the Arab tribe Al-Sanadid Forces both of whom contributed to combating IS from Al-Hasakah.[23] Although estimates of the size of the SDF's component forces vary significantly, their total number may be as high as 55,000.[24]

Some of the remaining U.S. Pentagon-trained rebels will also be part of the new forces, tasked with "calling in airstrikes against ISIS and recruiting moderate rebels".[25]

Signatory groups[edit]

The following groups signed the founding document:[22]

  1. People's Protection Units (YPG)
  2. Women's Protection Units (YPJ)
  3. Al-Sanadid Forces
  4. Syriac Military Council (MFS)
  5. Liwa Thuwwar al-Raqqa
  6. Euphrates Volcano
  7. Army of Revolutionaries (Jaysh al-Thuwar)
  8. Brigade Groups of Al-Jazira
  9. Lîwai 99 Muşat

Additional groups that joined[edit]

Since its establishment, additional groups have joined the SDF.

  • At the end of October 2015, the tribal group Liwaa Siqur El-Badiye joined the SDF to fight ISIS in the southern countryside of Hasakah province.[26]
  • On 15 November 2015, former FSA group Furat Jarablus announced its accession to the Syrian Democratic Forces.[27]
  • On 2 December 2015, the Arab Deir ez-Zor Governorate-based tribe Al-Shaitat joined the SDF, sending fighters to Al-Shaddadah.[28] on 6 January 2016 an additional 400 joined.[29]
  • On 13 January 2016, a group called the Euphrates Martyrs Battalion joined the SDF.[30]
  • On 20 January 2016, a group called the Free Jarabulus Battalion joined the SDF.[31]
  • On 5 February 2016, a group called Martyrs of Dam Brigade from an Arab village called al-Makhmar liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Tishrin Dam offensive joined the Northern Sun Battalion and the SDF.[32]
  • On 28 February 2016, a group called Martyr Kaseem Al Areef Battalion from Sarrin formed and joined the Syrian Democratic Forces through their member Jaysh al-Thuwar.[33]
  • On 10 March 2016, a group called Jund Al-Haramayn Brigade joined the Syrian Democratic Forces through Jaysh al-Thuwar group the Northern Sun Battalion.[34] They are a former member of the Army of Mujahedeen group called the 19th Division. They operate in Northern Aleppo countryside, also have a presence in Aleppo city and Kobani.
  • On 12 March 2016, it was reported that more than 200 locals from the earlier liberated areas around the town of Shaddadi joined the SDF, most of them Arabs.[35]
  • On 18 March 2016, an Arab group called Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqah joined the SDF.[36]
  • On 2 April 2016, Arab groups within the SDF – excluding the Kurdish YPG and YPJ – established the Manbij Military Council with the goal of securing the town of Manbij and its surrounding countryside (Manbij offensive). The council also includes a newly established group called the Manbij Turkmen Brigade.[37][38]
  • On 20 May 2016, an additional 225 Al-Shaitat tribesmen joined the SDF[39] Six days later, an additional 75 joined.[40]
  • On 20 June 2016, a group called the Tel Rifaat Rebel Battalion, with 250 members, joined the SDF.[41]
  • On 23 June 2016, 100 members from an Al-Shaitat group called Al-Nukhbat Brigade defected to the SDF.[42]
  • On 23 June 2016, 158 tribesmen from the al-Shaddadah area joined the SDF.[43]

Support by the U.S. led alliance[edit]

On 12 October 2015, the Pentagon confirmed U.S. C-17 transport aircraft having dropped 100 pallets with 45 tons of arms and ammunition over Northern Syria to benefit "Arab groups." YPG spokesman Polat Can confirmed the airdrop over Rojava, identifying the freight as being "assault rifles, mortars and ammunition, but no TOW anti-tank missiles nor anti-aircraft weapons."[44] However, the main Arab groups within the Syrian Arab Coalition denied that they received the shipment and pointed out that the airdrop may have been intended for their Kurdish allies.[45]

While the weapons are primarily intended for the Arab affiliates turning towards Raqqa, Can reiterated the Kurds' first priority was linking the Kurdish enclave of Afrin with Kobani, thereby clearing the remaining 60 miles of Syria–Turkey border, including the border town of Jarablus, from ISIS occupation.[44] YPG General commander Sipan Hemo however told the London-based al-Hayat newspaper that an attack on the ISIS headquarters in ar-Raqqah was expected "within weeks."[46]

The airdrop came only days after The Pentagon had officially abandoned its failed $500m train-and-equip program of "moderate rebels" fighting ISIS.[47] It was mildly criticized by Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, who feared "at least a considerable part of these weapons will fall into the terrorists' hands."[48][better source needed]

During the al-Shaddadi offensive, there were US special forces who coordinated airstrikes against ISIS with the SDF.[49]

On 21 May 2016 Gen. Joseph Votel, commanding general of U.S. Central Command, completed a secret several-hour-long trip to northern Syria to visit several locations where there are U.S. special operations forces and meet with local forces the U.S. is helping train to fight ISIS. The visit comes as the first of 250 additional U.S. special operations forces are beginning to arrive in Syria to work with local forces.[50] "We do, absolutely, have to go with what we've got." says the commander who oversees the war in Syria, at the end of a long Saturday spent touring SDF bases.[51]

The ideologically Islamist Syrian opposition groups in the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, supported in this by Turkey, vigorously oppose international support for the secular SDF.[52][53]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld – Kurdish Strategy Towards Ethnically-Mixed Areas in the Syrian Conflict". Refworld. 
  2. ^ https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/744968475437862912
  3. ^ Lister, Tim (1 November 2015). "New assaults on ISIS in Iraq and in Syria". CNN. 
  4. ^ "Syrian Democratic Forces inch closer to Deir Ezzor: Al-Mukmin captured". Almasdar News. 
  5. ^ "U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces emerges as force against ISIS". Associated Press. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015. 
  6. ^ "US preparing airbase in northeast Syria: reports". NOW. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015. 
  7. ^ Lambert, Fred (1 November 2015). "Syria: Joint Kurd-Arab-Assyrian force announces U.S.-backed offensive in al-Hasakah". UPI. Retrieved 1 December 2015. 
  8. ^ "Peto Lucem". Twitter. 
  9. ^ "Aleppo: Recent Footage of Rebels targeting SDF positions in Sheikh Maqsood : syriancivilwar". Reddit.com. 2016-02-26. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  10. ^ http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/05/caucasus-emirate-in-syria-fighting-in-aleppo.php
  11. ^ Abu Zeid, Osama; Nelson, Maria (3 December 2015). "Accusations, recriminations and bloodshed in north Aleppo arena as Kurds fear for Afrin". Syria Direct. Retrieved 4 December 2015. 
  12. ^ "YPG, allies clash with Syrian opposition groups in Aleppo". Middle East Eye. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015. 
  13. ^ "New U.S.-backed Syrian rebel alliance launches offensive against Islamic State". Reuters. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015. 
  14. ^ https://twitter.com/qsd00963/status/705375180932124672
  15. ^ "Kurdish-Arab coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria creates political wing agency". Global Post=Agence France-Presse. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015. 
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015. 
  17. ^ "Syrian Democratic Forces set sights on IS stronghold". Al-Monitor. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015. 
  18. ^ Van Wilgenburg, Wladimir (19 February 2016). "Kurds celebrate capture of key IS stronghold in Syria". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 18 March 2016. 
  19. ^ Shiwesh, Ahmed (10 March 2016). "Kurds, allies seize ISIS supply route on Syria-Iraq border". ARA News. Retrieved 18 March 2016. 
  20. ^ "Syrian-Kurdish SDF successfully absorbing non-Kurdish groups, says US". Rudaw. Retrieved 9 March 2016. 
  21. ^ "Global powers seek to revive diplomatic process". The Economist. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2016. 
  22. ^ a b "Declaration of establishment by Syrian Democratic Forces". Kurdish Question. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015. 
  23. ^ "YPG, backed by al- Khabour Guards Forces, al- Sanadid army and the Syriac Military Council, expels IS out of more than 230 towns, villages and farmlands". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2015. 
  24. ^ Perry, Tom (15 August 2015). "Syrian Kurds now say they now control territory the size of Qatar and Kuwait combined". Business Insider. 
  25. ^ Chappell, Bill (12 October 2015). "New Rebel Coalition Forms in Syria; Insurgents Lost Ground Over Weekend". NPR. Retrieved 13 October 2015. 
  26. ^ "أبناء العشائر العربية يشكلون لواءً وينضمون إلى QSD". Hawar News. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015. 
  27. ^ "من هم تجمع كتائب فرات جرابلس؟". Hawar News. 22 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015. 
  28. ^ "Michael Horowitz". Twitter. 
  29. ^ "400 Sheitat tribesmen joined U.S.-backed alliance to fight ISIS: sources SYRIA NEWS | ZAMAN ALWSL". En.zamanalwsl.net. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  30. ^ "Unit history of the Euphrates Martyrs Battalion that joined the SDF yesterday. They originated as a rebel group in and around the village of Qubbah. : syriancivilwar". Reddit.com. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  31. ^ "Free Jarabulus Battalion joins the Syrian Democratic Forces : syriancivilwar". Reddit.com. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  32. ^ "Martyrs of Dam Brigade join Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) | Washington Kurdish Institute". Dckurd.org. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  33. ^ "بيان انضمام كتيبة الشهيد كاظم عارف لجيش الثوار". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  34. ^ "QSD Press Office on Twitter: "A new brigade "Liwa Jund Al Haramayn" announced it is joining to our forces "". Twitter. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  35. ^ "Dozens of young men join western-backed SDF to fight ISIS northeast Syria". ARA News. 12 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  36. ^ "Arab fighters from the 'abu alttabat village of Raqqah join the SDF as the Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqah : syriancivilwar". Reddit.com. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-31. 
  37. ^ "Bulbajer comments on SDF groups form "Manbij Military Council" to liberate Manbij and surrounding countryside. YPG not included.". reddit. Retrieved 25 May 2016. 
  38. ^ "SDF groups form "Manbij Military Council" to liberate Manbij and surrounding countryside. YPG not included. : syriancivilwar". reddit. Retrieved 25 May 2016. 
  39. ^ "225 Arabs from Shaddadi join the Syrian Democratic Forces : syriancivilwar". reddit. Retrieved 25 May 2016. 
  40. ^ http://hawarnews.com/750-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7/
  41. ^ https://twitter.com/DrPartizan_/status/744968475437862912
  42. ^ http://aranews.net/2016/06/kurdish-led-sdf-attracts-arab-fighters-syrias-deir-ez-zor-amid-growing-anti-isis-campaign/
  43. ^ http://hawarnews.com/158-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%80-%D9%82-%D8%B3-%D8%AF/
  44. ^ a b Roy Gutman (12 October 2015). "U.S. begins airdrops of weapons to Kurdish forces in northern Syria". McClatchy. Archived from the original on 13 October 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015. 
  45. ^ "Syrian Arab militias dispute they received U.S. airdrop of ammunition". McClatchy DC. 20 October 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015. 
  46. ^ Perry, Tom (13 October 2015). "Syrian Kurdish militia sees Raqqa assault 'within weeks': report". Reuters. Retrieved 13 October 2015. 
  47. ^ "Syria conflict: US air drop for anti-IS forces in Hassakeh". BBC. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015. 
  48. ^ "Lavrov: Little doubt US arms delivered to Syrian opposition to fall into terrorists' hands". RT. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015. 
  49. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Interethnic coalition takes on the IS group in Syria". France 24 (Youtube). 22 April 2016. 
  50. ^ "Top U.S. commander completes day-long secret visit to Syria (CNN)". 22 May 2016. 
  51. ^ "The new coalition to destroy the Islamic State". The Washington Post). 22 May 2016. 
  52. ^ "Leader of U.S. Supported Syrian Rebel Group Backs Al-Qaida". Modern Tokyo Times. 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2016-06-03. 
  53. ^ "Ignoring Turkey, U.S. backs Kurds in drive against ISIS in Syria". Washington Post. 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2016-06-03. 

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Syrian_Democratic_Forces&oldid=727279467"