Syrian Democratic Forces

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
Headquarters Al-Hasakah, Syria
Area of operations Aleppo Governorate
Hasakah Governorate[13]
Al-Raqqah Governorate
Deir ez-Zor Governorate[14]
Strength ~80,000[15] (including 50,000 YPG)[16]
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 Arab, Assyrian, Armenian, Kurdish, Turkmen, Circassian and Chechen militias fighting against ISIS and Al-Nusra Front in the Syrian Civil War. The goal of the group is "to create a democratic and a bilateral Syria, where true justice is implemented over time."[33] 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 democratic confederalism.

The SDF has focused primarily on ISIS,[34] successfully driving them from important strategic areas, such as Shaddadi,[35] Al-Hawl and the Tishrin Dam.[36]

On 10 December 2015, after a two-day conference, it established its political wing, called the Syrian Democratic Council.[37][38]

Establishment

The establishment of the SDF was announced on 11 October 2015 during a press conference in al-Hasakah.[39]

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.[40] Although estimates of the size of the SDF's component forces vary significantly, their total number, including the Syrian Arab Coalition and Christian militias may be as high as 55,000.[41]

With a strength of around 4,000 fighters, the Arab groups within the alliance will operate under the joint name Syrian Arab Coalition and is committed to pushing south towards ISIS de facto capital Ar-Raqqah, while staying east of the Euphrates river.[42] 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".[43]

Signatory groups

The following groups signed the founding document:[39]

Since it's establishment, additional groups have joined.

Support by the U.S. led alliance

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 IS occupation.[44] YPG General commander Sipan Hemo however told the London-based al-Hayat newspaper that an attack on the IS 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]

During the al-Shaddadi offensive (2016), there were US special forces who coordinated airstrikes against ISIL with the SDF.[49]

Relations with the Syrian Government

There have been multiple skirmishes between the Syrian government and the YPG during the civil war. At the same time, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has stated that his government has supplied arms to the PYD,[50] and that he is open to decentralization proposals after the conflict is over.[51] PYD officials have reportedly held talks with representatives of the Syrian government and the Russian military in Damascus and Latakia about a joint effort against ISIS,[52] and the Syrian government has condemned Turkey's shelling of Kurdish forces in the border region in a letter to the UN Security Council.[50]

On 23 February 2016, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told parliament that there is an evidence of coordination between Syrian Kurdish forces, the Syrian government and the Russian air force over the last few weeks which are making them distinctly uneasy about the Kurds role in Syria.

See also

References

  1. ↑ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld - Kurdish Strategy Towards Ethnically-Mixed Areas in the Syrian Conflict". Refworld.
  2. ↑ http://dckurd.org/2016/02/04/martyrs-of-dam-brigade-join-syrian-democratic-forces-sdf/
  3. ↑ https://twitter.com/QSD00963/status/707950225260937216
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OTtu60nr4U&feature=youtu.be
  5. ↑ http://www.hawarnews.com/%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%A8-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%9F/
  6. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/40y0hc/unit_history_of_the_euphrates_martyrs_battalion/
  7. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/41uhws/free_jarabulus_battalion_joins_the_syrian/
  8. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/4axizk/arab_fighters_from_the_abu_alttabat_village_of/
  9. ↑ "400 Sheitat tribesmen joined U.S.-backed alliance to fight ISIS: sources". Syria News. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  10. ↑ http://aranews.net/2016/03/dozens-young-men-join-western-backed-sdf-fight-isis-northeast-syria/
  11. ↑ "أبناء العشائر العربية يشكلون لواءً وينضمون إلى QSD".
  12. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/4d1lxx/sdf_groups_form_manbij_military_council_to/d1n9gn0
  13. ↑ Lister, Tim (1 November 2015). "New assaults on ISIS in Iraq and in Syria". CNN.
  14. ↑ "Syrian Democratic Forces inch closer to Deir Ezzor: Al-Mukmin captured".
  15. ↑ "U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces emerges as force against ISIS". Associated Press. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "US preparing airbase in northeast Syria: reports". NOW. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  17. ↑ "Hammond: 'Disturbing evidence' that Kurds are coordinating with Syrian regime and Russia". The Daily Telegraph. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  18. ↑ AFP: Syria Kurds train new army to protect 'federal region' : syriancivilwar
  19. ↑ Syria Kurds train new army to protect 'federal region' - YouTube
  20. ↑ Kurds raise an army to defend new federal region - Middle East - News - Arutz Sheva
  21. ↑ Glioti, Andrea (7 May 2013). "Kurdish group gaining autonomy in northern Syria". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  22. ↑ Rudaw (6 April 2015). "Rojava defense force draws thousands of recruits". Rudaw. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  23. ↑ "Rojava Dispatch Six: Innovations, the Formation of the Hêza Parastina Cewherî (HPC) - Modern Slavery".
  24. ↑ Lambert, Fred (1 November 2015). "Syria: Joint Kurd-Arab-Assyrian force announces U.S.-backed offensive in al-Hasakah". UPI. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  25. ↑ "Peto Lucem". Twitter.
  26. ↑ "Aleppo: Recent Footage of Rebels targeting SDF positions in Sheikh Maqsood : syriancivilwar". Reddit.com. 2016-02-26. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  27. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/4dxs52/what_is_the_relationship_between_nusra_front_and/
  28. ↑ https://twitter.com/Syria_Rebel_Obs/status/716697750516207616
  29. ↑
  30. ↑ 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.
  31. ↑ "YPG, allies clash with Syrian opposition groups in Aleppo". Middle East Eye. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  32. ↑ "New U.S.-backed Syrian rebel alliance launches offensive against Islamic State". Reuters. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  33. ↑ "BREAKING: Statement from Syrian Democratic Forces". Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  34. ↑ "Syrian Democratic Forces set sights on IS stronghold". Al-Monitor. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  35. ↑ Van Wilgenburg, Wladimir (19 February 2016). "Kurds celebrate capture of key IS stronghold in Syria". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  36. ↑ Shiwesh, Ahmed (10 March 2016). "Kurds, allies seize ISIS supply route on Syria-Iraq border". ARA News. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  37. ↑ "Kurdish-Arab coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria creates political wing". Agence France-Presse. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  38. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 20, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  39. 1 2 "Declaration of establishment by Syrian Democratic Forces". Kurdish Question. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  40. ↑ "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.
  41. ↑ Perry, Tom (15 August 2015). "Syrian Kurds now say they now control territory the size of Qatar and Kuwait combined". Business Insider.
  42. ↑ Suleiman al-Khalidi; Tom Perry (12 October 2015). "New Syrian rebel alliance formed, says weapons on the way". Reuters. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  43. ↑ Chappell, Bill (12 October 2015). "New Rebel Coalition Forms In Syria; Insurgents Lost Ground Over Weekend". NPR. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  44. 1 2 Roy Gutman (12 October 2015). "U.S. begins airdrops of weapons to Kurdish forces in northern Syria". McClatchy. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  45. ↑ "Syrian Arab militias dispute they received U.S. airdrop of ammunition". McClatchy DC. 20 October 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. 1 2 "Syria takes Turkish shelling of Kurds to the UN". Rudaw. February 15, 2016.
  51. ↑ "Assad: we do not have a veto on any Kurdish demand". Rudaw.net. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  52. ↑ "Damascus: PYD negotiates with Assad and the Russian military". Kurdwatch.org. 2015-10-13. Retrieved 2016-03-31.

External links

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