2

<!
DO
CT
YP
E
htm
l>
<html class="client-nojs" lang="en" dir="ltr">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8"/>
<title>Syrian Democratic Forces - Wikipedia</title>
<script>document.documentElement.className="client-
js";RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":!1,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":
["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":
["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy","wgMonthNames":
["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September",
"October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"XrNHGApAEKAAAEEvoYUA
AAAD","wgCSPNonce":!
1,"wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":!
1,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"Syrian_Democratic_Forces","wgTitle":
"Syrian Democratic
Forces","wgCurRevisionId":955281722,"wgRevisionId":955281722,"wgArticleId":48
205248,"wgIsArticle":!0,"wgIsRedirect":!
1,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":
["Harv and Sfn no-target errors","CS1 Italian-language sources (it)","CS1 uses Arabic-
language script (ar)","CS1 Arabic-language sources (ar)","CS1 maint: archived copy
as title","CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown","CS1 Kurdish-language
sources (ku)",
"Webarchive template wayback links","CS1 French-language sources (fr)","All
articles with dead external links","Articles with dead external links from December
2019","Articles with permanently dead external links","Articles with self-published
sources from November 2017","All articles with self-published sources","NPOV
disputes from January 2020","All NPOV disputes","Articles with multiple
maintenance issues","Use dmy dates from November 2017","Articles containing
Arabic-language text","Articles containing Kurdish-language text","Articles
containing Classical Syriac-language text","All articles with unsourced
statements","Articles with unsourced statements from October 2019","All articles with
specifically marked weasel-worded phrases","Articles with specifically marked
weasel-worded phrases from February 2020","Wikipedia articles in need of updating
from July 2018","All Wikipedia articles in need of updating","Wikipedia articles in
need of updating from January 2019",
"CS1 maint: ref=harv","Commons category link is on Wikidata","Articles with
Arabic-language sources (ar)","Articles with Kurdish-language sources (ku)","Syrian
Democratic Forces","Anti-ISIL factions in Syria","Military units and factions of the
Syrian Civil War","Military units and formations established in 2015","Operations
rooms of the Syrian Civil War","Syrian Kurdistan","2015 establishments in
Syria"],"wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelev
antPageName":"Syrian_Democratic_Forces","wgRelevantArticleId":48205248,"wgIsP
robablyEditable":!0,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":!0,"wgRestrictionEdit":
[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgMediaViewerOnClick":!
0,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":!0,"wgPopupsReferencePreviews":!
1,"wgPopupsConflictsWithNavPopupGadget":!1,"wgVisualEditor":
{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"
wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":!0,"nearby":!0,"watchlist":!
0,"tagline":!1},
"wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":!
1,"wgULSCurrentAutonym":"English","wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgWikibaseIt
emId":"Q21096224","wgCentralAuthMobileDomain":!
1,"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":!
0};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","noscript":"
ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.option
s":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","ext.tmh.thumbnail.styles":"ready","jquery.make
Collapsible.styles":"ready","mediawiki.toc.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles.legacy":
"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript"
:"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready"};RLPAGEM
ODULES=["ext.cite.ux-
enhancements","mw.MediaWikiPlayer.loader","mw.PopUpMediaTransform","mw.T
MHGalleryHook.js","ext.scribunto.logs","site","mediawiki.page.startup","skins.vector.
js","mediawiki.page.ready","jquery.makeCollapsible","mediawiki.toc","ext.gadget.Ref
erenceTooltips",
"ext.gadget.charinsert","ext.gadget.refToolbar","ext.gadget.extra-toolbar-
buttons","ext.gadget.switcher","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.head","mmv.b
ootstrap.autostart","ext.popups","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visua
lEditor.targetLoader","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTimin
g","ext.uls.compactlinks","ext.uls.interface","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns","ext.qui
cksurveys.init","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp"];</script>
<script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function()
{mw.loader.implement("user.options@1hzgi",function($,jQuery,require,module)
{/*@nomin*/mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken
":"+\\"});
});});</script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles
%7Cext.tmh.thumbnail.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage
%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediaBadges
%7Cjquery.makeCollapsible.styles%7Cmediawiki.toc.styles
%7Cskins.vector.styles.legacy
%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector"/>
<script async="" src="/w/load.php?
lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector"><
/script>
<meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?
lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector"/>
<meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.35.0-wmf.30"/>
<meta name="referrer" content="origin"/>
<meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-crossorigin"/>
<meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"/>
<meta property="og:image"
content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Flag_of_Syria
n_Democratic_Forces.svg/1200px-Flag_of_Syrian_Democratic_Forces.svg.png"/>
<link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page"
href="/w/index.php?title=Syrian_Democratic_Forces&action=edit"/>
<link rel="edit" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?
title=Syrian_Democratic_Forces&action=edit"/>
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"/>
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"/>
<link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml"
href="/w/opensearch_desc.php" title="Wikipedia (en)"/>
<link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?
action=rsd"/>
<link rel="license" href="//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"/>
<link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikipedia Atom feed"
href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"/>
<link rel="canonical"
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces"/>
<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"/>
<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" />

</head>
<body class="mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable
page-Syrian_Democratic_Forces rootpage-Syrian_Democratic_Forces skin-vector
action-view">
<div id="mw-page-base" class="noprint"></div>
<div id="mw-head-base" class="noprint"></div>
<div id="content" class="mw-body" role="main">
<a id="top"></a>
<div id="siteNotice" class="mw-body-content"></div>
<div class="mw-indicators mw-body-content">
</div>
<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading" lang="en">Syrian Democratic
Forces</h1>
<div id="bodyContent" class="mw-body-content">
<div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div>
<div id="contentSub"></div>
<div id="jump-to-nav"></div>
<a class="mw-jump-link" href="#mw-head">Jump to navigation</a>
<a class="mw-jump-link" href="#p-search">Jump to search</a>
<div id="mw-content-text" lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr"><div
class="mw-parser-output"><table class="box-Multiple_issues plainlinks metadata
ambox ambox-content ambox-multiple_issues compact-ambox"
role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div
style="width:52px"><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-
Ambox_important.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/60px-
Ambox_important.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/80px-
Ambox_important.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="40" data-file-height="40"
/></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span"><div class="mw-
collapsible" style="width:95%; margin: 0.2em 0;">This article has multiple
issues. Please help <a class="external text"
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Syrian_Democratic_Forces&action=edit">improve it</a> or discuss
these issues on the <a href="/wiki/Talk:Syrian_Democratic_Forces"
title="Talk:Syrian Democratic Forces">talk page</a>. (<a
href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template
removal">Learn how and when to remove these template messages</a>)
<div class="mw-collapsible-content" style="margin-top: 0.3em;">
<table class="box-Self-published plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-
self-published" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div
style="width:52px"><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-
Ambox_important.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/60px-
Ambox_important.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/80px-
Ambox_important.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="40" data-file-height="40"
/></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This article
may contain excessive or inappropriate references to <a
href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Self-published_sources"
title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">self-published sources</a>. Please help <a class="external text"
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Syrian_Democratic_Forces&action=edit">improve it</a> by removing
references to unreliable <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources"
title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources">sources</a> where they are used
inappropriately. (November 2017) (<a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal"
title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this
template message</a>)</div></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table class="box-POV plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-POV"
style="width:52px"><img alt="Unbalanced scales.svg"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg/4
5px-Unbalanced_scales.svg.png" decoding="async" width="45" height="40"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.sv
g/68px-Unbalanced_scales.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg/90px-
Unbalanced_scales.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="354"
/></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">The <a
href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of
view">neutrality</a> of this article is <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV_dispute"
title="Wikipedia:NPOV dispute">disputed</a>. Relevant discussion may be found on the <a
href="/wiki/Talk:Syrian_Democratic_Forces##" title="Talk:Syrian Democratic
Forces">talk page</a>. Please do not remove this message until <a
href="/wiki/Template:POV#When_to_remove" title="Template:POV">conditions to
do so are met</a>. (January 2020) (<a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal"
title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this
template message</a>)</div></td></tr></tbody></table>
</div>
</div> (<a
href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template
removal">Learn how and when to remove this template
message</a>)</div></td></tr></tbody></table>


<table class="infobox" style="width:22em;width:25.5em;border-
spacing:2px;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" style="text-align:center;font-
size:125%;font-weight:bold;background-color:#C3D6EF;text-align:center;vertical-
align:middle;font-size:110%;">Syrian Democratic Forces</th></tr><tr><td
colspan="2" style="text-align:center;background-color:#DCDCDC;text-
align:center;vertical-align:middle;"><div class="nickname"> ‫قوات سوريا‬
‫<الديمقراطية‬/span>‎ Hêzên Sûriya Demokratîk ‫ܚܝܠܘܬܐ ܕܣܘܪܝܐ ܕܝܡܩܪܛܝܬܐ‬ ̈ </div> Participant in the <a
href="/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Syrian Civil War">Syrian
Civil War</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align:center;text-
align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"><a
href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Syrian_Democratic_Forces.svg" class="image" title="Flag
of the Syrian Democratic Forces"><img alt="Flag of the Syrian Democratic Forces"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Flag_of_Syrian_Democ
ratic_Forces.svg/200px-Flag_of_Syrian_Democratic_Forces.svg.png"
decoding="async" width="200" height="133" class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Flag_of_Syrian_Dem
ocratic_Forces.svg/300px-Flag_of_Syrian_Democratic_Forces.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Flag_of_Syrian_Democratic_
Forces.svg/400px-Flag_of_Syrian_Democratic_Forces.svg.png 2x" data-file-
width="900" data-file-height="600" /></a><div>Flag of the Syrian Democratic
Forces</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-space:nowrap;padding-
right:0.65em;">Active</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;">10 October 2015 –
present</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-space:nowrap;padding-
right:0.65em;">Ideology</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;"><a
href="/wiki/Democracy" title="Democracy">Democracy</a> <a
href="/wiki/Decentralization" title="Decentralization">Decentralization</a> <a
href="/wiki/Secularism" title="Secularism">Secularism</a> <a
href="/wiki/Minority_rights" title="Minority rights">Ethnic minority rights</a> <a href="/wiki/Regionalism_(politics)" title="Regionalism
(politics)">Regionalism</a> Factions:
 <a href="/wiki/Libertarian_socialism" title="Libertarian socialism">Libertarian
socialism</a> Tribal autonomy <a href="/wiki/Kurds_in_Syria"
title="Kurds in Syria">Kurdish</a> <a href="/wiki/Minority_politics" class="mw-
redirect" title="Minority politics">minority interests</a> <a href="/wiki/Syrian-
Assyrians" class="mw-redirect" title="Syrian-Assyrians">Assyrian</a> <a
href="/wiki/Minority_politics" class="mw-redirect" title="Minority politics">minority
interests</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-space:nowrap;padding-
right:0.65em;">Allegiance</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;"><a
href="/wiki/Autonomous_Administration_of_North_and_East_Syria" class="mw-
redirect" title="Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria">Autonomous
Administration of North and East Syria</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Council" title="Syrian Democratic
Council">Syrian Democratic Council</a></li></ul>
</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-space:nowrap;padding-
right:0.65em;">Group(s)</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;">Groups based in all
of <a href="/wiki/Autonomous_Administration_of_North_and_East_Syria"
class="mw-redirect" title="Autonomous Administration of North and East
Syria">Northeastern Syria</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/File:People%27s_Protection_Units_Flag.svg"
class="image"><img alt="People's Protection Units Flag.svg"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/People
%27s_Protection_Units_Flag.svg/25px-People%27s_Protection_Units_Flag.svg.png"
decoding="async" width="25" height="15"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/People
%27s_Protection_Units_Flag.svg/38px-People%27s_Protection_Units_Flag.svg.png
1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/People
%27s_Protection_Units_Flag.svg/50px-People%27s_Protection_Units_Flag.svg.png
2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="600" /></a> <a href="/wiki/People
%27s_Protection_Units" title="People's Protection Units">People's Protection
Units</a> (YPG)
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/File:YPG_International.svg" class="image"><img alt="YPG
International.svg"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/YPG_International.svg/
25px-YPG_International.svg.png" decoding="async" width="25" height="15"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/YPG_International.sv
g/38px-YPG_International.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/YPG_International.svg/50px-
YPG_International.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="600" /></a>
<a href="/wiki/YPG_International" title="YPG International">YPG International
Battalion</a><a
href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarp201749-1">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-
2">[2]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/File:YPJ_Flag.svg" class="image"><img alt="YPJ Flag.svg"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/YPJ_Flag.svg/25px-
YPJ_Flag.svg.png" decoding="async" width="25" height="15"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/YPJ_Flag.svg/38px-
YPJ_Flag.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/YPJ_Flag.svg/50px-
YPJ_Flag.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="600" /></a> <a
href="/wiki/Women%27s_Protection_Units" title="Women's Protection
Units">Women's Protection Units</a> (YPJ)</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Anti-Terror_Units" title="Anti-Terror Units">Anti-Terror
Units</a> (YAT, part of YPG & YPJ)</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Seljuk_Brigade.png" class="image"><img
alt="Flag of the Seljuk Brigade.png"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Flag_of_the_Seljuk_Bri
gade.png/25px-Flag_of_the_Seljuk_Brigade.png" decoding="async" width="25"
height="17"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Flag_of_the_Seljuk_
Brigade.png/38px-Flag_of_the_Seljuk_Brigade.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Flag_of_the_Seljuk_Brigade.
png/50px-Flag_of_the_Seljuk_Brigade.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-
height="600" /></a> <a href="/wiki/Seljuk_Brigade" title="Seljuk Brigade">Seljuk
Brigade</a>
<ul><li>Hammam Turkmen Martyrs Brigade</li></ul></li>
<li>Special Forces Regiment<a
href="#cite_note-ReferenceA-3">[3]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Sapper" title="Sapper">Sapper</a> unit<a href="#cite_note-dvidshub.net-
4">[4]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces_military_councils" title="Syrian
Democratic Forces military councils">Syrian Democratic Forces military
councils</a></li></ul>
Groups based in the <a href="/wiki/Jazira_Region" title="Jazira
Region">Jazira Region</a> & <a href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor_Governorate"
title="Deir ez-Zor Governorate">Deir ez-Zor Governorate</a>

<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Syriac_Military_Council" title="Syriac Military
Council">Syriac Military Council</a> (MFS)
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bethnahrain_Women%27s_Protection_Forces"
title="Bethnahrain Women's Protection Forces">Bethnahrain Women's
Protection Forces</a><a
href="#cite_note-aina.org-5">[5]</a><a href="#cite_note-links.org.au-
6">[6]</a></li>
<li>Special Forces unit</li></ul></li>
<li>Ashur Forces
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Khabour_Guards" title="Khabour Guards">Khabour
Guards</a><a href="#cite_note-seek-
7">[7]</a>
<ul><li>Martyr Joel Hanna[<a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed"
title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]</li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Nattoreh" title="Nattoreh">Nattoreh</a><a href="#cite_note-seek-
7">[7]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Martyr_Nubar_Ozanyan_Brigade" title="Martyr Nubar Ozanyan
Brigade">Martyr Nubar Ozanyan Brigade</a><a href="#cite_note-armeniansdfforce-
8">[8]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Shammar" title="Shammar">Shammar</a> tribe militias<a href="#cite_note-Shammar-
9">[9]</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Al-Sanadid_Forces" title="Al-Sanadid Forces">Al-
Sanadid</a><a href="#cite_note-
Shammar-9">[9]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Al-Shaitat" title="Al-Shaitat">al-Shaitat</a> tribe militias<a href="#cite_note-Shaitat1-
10">[10]</a><a href="#cite_note-Shaitat2-11">[11]</a>
<ul><li>Desert Hawks Brigade<a
href="#cite_note-Shaitat1-10">[10]</a><a href="#cite_note-Shaitat2-
11">[11]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Elite_Forces_(Syria)" class="mw-redirect" title="Elite Forces
(Syria)">Elite Forces</a> (unclear)<a href="#cite_note-auto1-12">[12]</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Saadallah_al-Jabiri" title="Saadallah al-Jabiri">Saadallah al-
Jabiri</a> Battalion<a href="#cite_note-
13">[13]</a></li></ul></li>
<li>Free Officers Union (unclear)<a href="#cite_note-baladi-news_25944-
14">[14]</a><a href="#cite_note-ARA_News-
15">[15]</a><a href="#cite_note-Ajansa_Nûçeyan_a_Firatê-
16">[16]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Al-Baggara" title="Al-Baggara">Al-Baggara</a> tribe
militias</li>
<li>Harabiyya tribe militias<a
href="#cite_note-17">[17]</a></li>
<li>Zubayd tribe militias<a
<li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces_military_councils#Deir_ez-Zor"
title="Syrian Democratic Forces military councils">Deir ez-Zor Military
Council</a><a href="#cite_note-
auto2-19">[19]</a>
<ul><li>Gathering of <a href="/wiki/Al-Baggara" title="Al-Baggara">al-Baggara</a>
Youth</li></ul></li>
<li>Martyr Amara Arab Women's Battalion<a href="#cite_note-female-20">[20]</a><a href="#cite_note-aranews.net1-
21">[21]</a></li></ul>
Groups based in the <a href="/wiki/Euphrates_Region" title="Euphrates
Region">Euphrates Region</a>

<ul><li>Tell Abyad Revolutionaries Brigade</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Al-Tahrir_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="Al-Tahrir
Brigade">Liberation Brigade</a><a href="#cite_note-Tastekin-22">[22]</a><a href="#cite_note-Jarabulus-
23">[23]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Army_of_Revolutionaries" title="Army of Revolutionaries">Army
of Revolutionaries</a>
<ul><li>Martyr Qasim Areef Battalion<a href="#cite_note-afn-
24">[24]</a></li></ul></li>
<li>Jazeera Knights Brigade<a href="#cite_note-hawarnews.com1-
25">[25]</a></li></ul>
Groups based in the <a href="/wiki/Afrin_Region" title="Afrin Region">Afrin
Region</a>, Manbij Region, & <a href="/wiki/Aleppo"
title="Aleppo">Aleppo</a> city (including <a href="/wiki/Sheikh_Maqsood"
title="Sheikh Maqsood">Sheikh Maqsood</a>), withdrew to <a href="/wiki/Manbij"
title="Manbij">Manbij</a> in March 2018

<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Army_of_Revolutionaries" title="Army of
Revolutionaries">Army of Revolutionaries</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jabhat_al-Akrad" class="mw-redirect" title="Jabhat al-
Akrad">Jabhat al-Akrad</a>
<ul><li>Shahba Women's Front<a
<li>Tel Rifaat Revolutionaries Battalion<a href="#cite_note-auto5-
27">[27]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Division_30" title="Division 30">Division 30</a> remnants[28]</a></li>
<li>Homs Commandos Brigade</li>
<li>99th Infantry Brigade</li>
<li>455th Special Tasks Brigade</li>
<li>Tribal Forces<a href="#cite_note-
29">[29]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Democratic_Brigade" title="Northern Democratic
Brigade">Northern Democratic Brigade</a><a href="#cite_note-30">[30]</a></li>
<li>Shahba Forces<a href="#cite_note-
31">[31]</a></li>
<li>Battalion of Karachok Martyrs<a href="#cite_note-auto3-32">[32]</a></li>
<li>Revolutionary Forces<a
href="#cite_note-rf-33">[33]</a></li>
<li>Brigade For The Liberation of Idlib and AfrinIdlib Revolutionaries Brigade<a
<li>Wrath of Olives Operation Room</li>
<li>Afrin Liberation Forces<a
href="#cite_note-36">[36]</a></li></ul>
Groups based in the Manbij Region

<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Manbij_Military_Council" title="Manbij Military
Council">Manbij Military Council</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Sun_Battalion" title="Northern Sun
Battalion">Northern Sun Battalion</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Manbij_Revolutionaries_Battalion" title="Manbij Revolutionaries
Battalion">Manbij Revolutionaries Battalion</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces_military_councils#Al-Bab"
title="Syrian Democratic Forces military councils">Al-Bab Military Council</a>
<ul><li>Al-Bab Military Council Female Battalion<a href="#cite_note-37">[37]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces_military_councils#Jarabulus"
title="Syrian Democratic Forces military councils">Jarabulus Military
Council</a><a href="#cite_note-
38">[38]</a></li></ul>
Groups based in the <a href="/wiki/Raqqa_District" title="Raqqa
District">Raqqa District</a> & <a href="/wiki/Al-Thawrah_District" title="Al-
Thawrah District">Al-Thawrah District</a>

<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liwa_Ahrar_al-Raqqa" class="mw-redirect" title="Liwa
Ahrar al-Raqqa">Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqa</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Jabhat_Thuwar_al-Raqqa" class="mw-redirect" title="Jabhat
Thuwar al-Raqqa">Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa</a>
<ul><li>Free Women of Raqqa Battalion<a href="#cite_note-Katibat-
39">[39]</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Raqqa_Hawks_Brigade" title="Raqqa Hawks Brigade">Raqqa
Hawks Brigade</a><a
href="#cite_note-hawarnews.com-40">[40]</a>
<ul><li>Martyr Tasleem Jimmo Brigade<a
<li>Ghanim group<a href="#cite_note-
42">[42]</a></li></ul></li>
<li>Raqqa Martyrs Brigade<a href="#cite_note-hawarnews.com-
40">[40]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Liwa_Owais_al-Qorani" title="Liwa Owais al-Qorani">Liwa
Owais al-Qorani</a> remnants<a
<li>Ajeel tribe militias<a href="#cite_note-
44">[44]</a></li>
<li>Free Raqqa Brigade</li>
<li>Free Tabqa Brigade<a href="#cite_note-
45">[45]</a></li>
<li>Umanaa al-Raqqa Brigade</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Harun_al-Rashid" title="Harun al-Rashid">Harun al-Rashid</a>
Brigade</li></ul>
right:0.65em;">Leaders</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;">SDF General: <a
href="/wiki/Mazlum_Kobane" class="mw-redirect" title="Mazlum Kobane">Mazlum
Kobane</a><a href="#cite_note-
46">[46]</a> SDF Spokesman: Kino Gabriel<a href="#cite_note-sdf-
press.com-47">[47]</a> SDF Spokeswoman: Jihan Sheikh
Ahmed<a href="#cite_note-
48">[48]</a> </td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-
space:nowrap;padding-right:0.65em;">Headquarters</th><td style="line-
height:1.3em;"><a href="/wiki/Qamishli" title="Qamishli">Qamishli</a> (capital
city)<a href="#cite_note-
49">[49]</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-
space:nowrap;padding-right:0.65em;">Area of operations</th><td style="line-
height:1.3em;">Northern <a href="/wiki/Syria" title="Syria">Syria</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aleppo_Governorate" title="Aleppo Governorate">Aleppo
Governorate</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Al-Hasakah_Governorate" title="Al-Hasakah
Governorate">Hasakah Governorate</a><a
<li><a href="/wiki/Raqqa_Governorate" title="Raqqa Governorate">Raqqa
Governorate</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor_Governorate" title="Deir ez-Zor Governorate">Deir
ez-Zor Governorate</a><a href="#cite_note-
51">[51]</a></li></ul>
right:0.65em;">Size</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;">100,000 (2019 estimate)<a
href="#cite_note-52">[52]</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row"
style="white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.65em;">Allies</th><td style="line-
height:1.3em;"><div class="plainlist">
<ul><li><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="12"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.s
vg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/46px
-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1235" data-file-
height="650" /> <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United
States">United States</a><a href="#cite_note-edition.cnn.com-
53">[53]</a><a href="#cite_note-The_Washington_Post-
54">[54]</a><a href="#cite_note-aljazeera.com-
55">[55]</a><a href="#cite_note-independent.co.uk-
56">[56]</a></li>
<li><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/23px-
Flag_of_France.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/35px-
Flag_of_France.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/45px-
Flag_of_France.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"
/> <a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a><a href="#cite_note-
europe.newsweek.com-57">[57]</a><a href="#cite_note-sputniknews.com-
58">[58]</a></li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.s
vg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23"
height="12" class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdo
m.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/4
6px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-
height="600" /> <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United
Kingdom">United Kingdom</a><a
href="#cite_note-ENGLISH_EDITION_OF_ASHARQ_AL-AWSAT-
59">[59]</a><a href="#cite_note-NewsDeeply_–_Syria_Deeply-
60">[60]</a><a href="#cite_note-Simone_2019-
61">[61]</a></li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Flag_of_the_United_Ar
ab_Emirates.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates.svg.png"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Flag_of_the_United_
Arab_Emirates.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Flag_of_the_United_Arab_E
mirates.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates.svg.png 2x" data-file-
width="1200" data-file-height="600" /> <a
href="/wiki/United_Arab_Emirates" title="United Arab Emirates">United Arab
Emirates</a><a href="#cite_note-sef-
62">[62]</a><a
href="#cite_note-63">[63]</a><a href="#cite_note-64">[64]</a>[65]</a><a href="#cite_note-arabforce-66">[66]</a></li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia.s
vg/23px-Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Saudi_Arabi
a.svg/35px-Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia.svg/45
px-Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-
height="600" /> <a href="/wiki/Saudi_Arabia" title="Saudi
Arabia">Saudi Arabia</a> (from 2018)<a href="#cite_note-arabforce-
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/23px-
Flag_of_Italy.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/35px-
Flag_of_Italy.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Italy.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000"
/> <a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a><sup id="cite_ref-70"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_PUK.png/23px
-Flag_of_PUK.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_PUK.png/35
px-Flag_of_PUK.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_PUK.png/46px-
Flag_of_PUK.png 2x" data-file-width="370" data-file-height="237" /> <a
href="/wiki/Patriotic_Union_of_Kurdistan" title="Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan">Patriotic Union of Kurdistan</a><sup id="cite_ref-71"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Flag_of_Kurdistan_Wor
kers%27_Party.svg/23px-Flag_of_Kurdistan_Workers%27_Party.svg.png"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Flag_of_Kurdistan_
Workers%27_Party.svg/35px-Flag_of_Kurdistan_Workers%27_Party.svg.png
1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Flag_of_Kurdistan_Workers
%27_Party.svg/45px-Flag_of_Kurdistan_Workers%27_Party.svg.png 2x" data-file-
width="900" data-file-height="600" /> <a href="/wiki/Kurdistan_Workers
%27_Party" title="Kurdistan Workers' Party">Kurdistan Workers'
Party</a></li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/International_Freedom_
Battalion_original_banner.svg/23px-
International_Freedom_Battalion_original_banner.svg.png" decoding="async"
width="23" height="15" class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/International_Freedo
m_Battalion_original_banner.svg/35px-
International_Freedom_Battalion_original_banner.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/International_Freedom_Battali
on_original_banner.svg/45px-
International_Freedom_Battalion_original_banner.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900"
data-file-height="600" /> <a href="/wiki/International_Freedom_Battalion"
title="International Freedom Battalion">International Freedom Battalion</a>Anarchists Struggle</li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Flag_of_Iraq.svg/23px-
Flag_of_Iraq.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Flag_of_Iraq.svg/35px
-Flag_of_Iraq.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Flag_of_Iraq.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Iraq.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"
/> <a href="/wiki/Iraq" title="Iraq">Iraq</a>[75]</a></li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Flag_of_Egypt.svg/23px-
Flag_of_Egypt.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Flag_of_Egypt.svg/35
px-Flag_of_Egypt.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Flag_of_Egypt.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Egypt.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"
/> <a href="/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</a><a href="#cite_note-76">[76]</a></li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Flag_of_Syria.svg/23px
-Flag_of_Syria.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Flag_of_Syria.svg/35
px-Flag_of_Syria.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Flag_of_Syria.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Syria.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"
/> <a href="/wiki/Syria" title="Syria">Syria</a>
(sometimes)<a
79">[79]</a></li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Flag_of_Iran.svg/23px-
Flag_of_Iran.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="13"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Flag_of_Iran.svg/35p
x-Flag_of_Iran.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Flag_of_Iran.svg/46px-
Flag_of_Iran.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="630" data-file-height="360"
/> <a href="/wiki/Iran" title="Iran">Iran</a>
(sometimes)</li>
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/23px-
Flag_of_Russia.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/35px-
Flag_of_Russia.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Russia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"
/> <a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a>
85">[85]</a>
<ul><li>Liwa al-Tufuf<a href="#cite_note-
86">[86]</a></li></ul></li></ul>
<a
href="/wiki/Autonomous_Administration_of_North_and_East_Syria"
title="Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria"><img alt="Autonomous
Administration of North and East Syria"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/De_facto_SA-
NES_Flag.svg/23px-De_facto_SA-NES_Flag.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/De_facto_SA-
NES_Flag.svg/35px-De_facto_SA-NES_Flag.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/De_facto_SA-
NES_Flag.svg/45px-De_facto_SA-NES_Flag.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-
file-height="600" /></a> <a
redirect" title="Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria">NES</a> police
forces

<ul><li>Northern Syria Internal Security Forces
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Asayish_(DFNS_regions)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Asayish (DFNS regions)">Asayish</a><a href="#cite_note-87">[87]</a>
<ul><li>Anti-Terror Forces (HAT SWAT units)<a href="#cite_note-88">[88]</a></li></ul></li>
<li>Manbij Internal Security Forces
<ul><li>Quick Reaction Force unit</li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Raqqa_Internal_Security_Forces" title="Raqqa Internal Security
Forces">Raqqa Internal Security Forces</a><a href="#cite_note-middleeasteye.net-
89">[89]</a>
<ul><li>Quick Reaction Force unit</li></ul></li>
<li>Deir ez-Zor Internal Security Forces<a
href="#cite_note-90">[90]</a>
<ul><li>Quick Reaction Force unit</li></ul></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Sutoro" title="Sutoro">Sutoro</a><a href="#cite_note-
Die_Welt_in_German-91">[91]</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bethnahrain_Women%27s_Protection_Forces"
title="Bethnahrain Women's Protection Forces">Bethnahrain Women's
Protection Forces</a> police branch</li></ul></li></ul>
<a
href="/wiki/Autonomous_Administration_of_North_and_East_Syria"
title="Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria"><img alt="Autonomous
Administration of North and East Syria"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/De_facto_SA-
NES_Flag.svg/23px-De_facto_SA-NES_Flag.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/De_facto_SA-
NES_Flag.svg/35px-De_facto_SA-NES_Flag.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/De_facto_SA-
NES_Flag.svg/45px-De_facto_SA-NES_Flag.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-
file-height="600" /></a> <a
redirect" title="Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria">NES</a>
civilian defence forces

<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Self-Defense_Forces_(DFNS_regions)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Self-Defense Forces (DFNS regions)">Self-Defense Forces</a> (HXP)[92]</a>
<ul><li>Special Forces</li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Border_Security_Force" title="Syrian Border Security
Force">Syrian Border Security Force</a> (BSF)<a href="#cite_note-
thedefensepost.com-93">[93]</a>Civilian Defense Force (HPC)<a
</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-space:nowrap;padding-
right:0.65em;">Opponent(s)</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;"><div
class="plainlist"><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/AQMI_Flag_asymmetri
c.svg/20px-AQMI_Flag_asymmetric.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/AQMI_Flag_asymme
tric.svg/31px-AQMI_Flag_asymmetric.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/AQMI_Flag_asymmetric.svg/
40px-AQMI_Flag_asymmetric.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-
height="750" /> <a
href="/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant" title="Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant">Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant</a><a href="#cite_note-upi-96">[96]</a> <img alt=""
class="thumbborder"
/> <a href="/wiki/Syria" title="Syria">Syria</a>
</div> <img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Flag_of_Iran.svg/23px-
Flag_of_Iran.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="13"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Flag_of_Iran.svg/35p
x-Flag_of_Iran.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Flag_of_Iran.svg/46px-
Flag_of_Iran.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="630" data-file-height="360"
/> <a href="/wiki/Iran" title="Iran">Iran</a> (sometimes)<a href="#cite_note-El_Newşe-
99">[99]</a> <img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/%E9%BB%8E
%E5%B7%B4%E5%AB%A9%E7%9C%9F%E4%B8%BB%E9%BB
%A8%E6%97%97.jpg/23px-%E9%BB%8E%E5%B7%B4%E5%AB%A9%E7%9C
%9F%E4%B8%BB%E9%BB%A8%E6%97%97.jpg" decoding="async" width="23"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/%E9%BB%8E
%9F%E4%B8%BB%E9%BB%A8%E6%97%97.jpg 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/%E9%BB%8E
%9F%E4%B8%BB%E9%BB%A8%E6%97%97.jpg 2x" data-file-width="220" data-
file-height="146" /> <a href="/wiki/Hezbollah"
title="Hezbollah">Hezbollah</a> (sometimes)<a
class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-101">[101]</a> <img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Flag_of_Syria_2011%2
C_observed.svg/23px-Flag_of_Syria_2011%2C_observed.svg.png" decoding="async"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Flag_of_Syria_2011
%2C_observed.svg/35px-Flag_of_Syria_2011%2C_observed.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Flag_of_Syria_2011%2C_ob
served.svg/45px-Flag_of_Syria_2011%2C_observed.svg.png 2x" data-file-
width="900" data-file-height="600" /><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/23p
x-Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/
35px-Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="800"
/><a href="/wiki/Turkish-backed_Free_Syrian_Army" title="Turkish-backed
Free Syrian Army">Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army</a> <img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/23p
x-Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/
35px-Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="800"
/> <a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a><sup
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/23px-
Flag_of_Russia.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/35px-
Flag_of_Russia.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/45px-
Flag_of_Russia.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"
/> <a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a>
href="#cite_note-103">[103]</a><a href="#cite_note-Russiansdead-
class="thumbborder"
/><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Flag_of_the_Ba
%27ath_Party.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Ba%27ath_Party.svg.png" decoding="async"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Flag_of_the_Ba
%27ath_Party.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Ba%27ath_Party.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Flag_of_the_Ba
%27ath_Party.svg/45px-Flag_of_the_Ba%27ath_Party.svg.png 2x" data-file-
width="1200" data-file-height="800" /> <a
href="/wiki/Popular_Resistance_of_the_Eastern_Region" title="Popular Resistance of
the Eastern Region">Popular Resistance of the Eastern Region</a>
<img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Fatemiyoun_Seal.svg/15
px-Fatemiyoun_Seal.svg.png" decoding="async" width="15" height="15"
class="thumbborder"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Fatemiyoun_Seal.svg/
23px-Fatemiyoun_Seal.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Fatemiyoun_Seal.svg/30px-
Fatemiyoun_Seal.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="599" data-file-height="593" />
<a href="/wiki/Liwa_Fatemiyoun" title="Liwa Fatemiyoun">Liwa
Fatemiyoun</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" style="white-space:nowrap;padding-
right:0.65em;">Battles and war(s)</th><td style="line-height:1.3em;"><a
href="/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Syrian Civil War">Syrian
Civil War</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Aleppo_(2012%E2%80%932016)" title="Battle of
Aleppo (2012–2016)">Battle of Aleppo</a><a href="#cite_note-SD01-105">[105]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Kurdish
%E2%80%93Islamist_conflict_(2013%E2%80%93present)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict (2013–present)">Syrian Kurdish–Islamist
conflict</a><a
href="#cite_note-middleeye-106">[106]</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/2015_Al-Hawl_offensive" class="mw-redirect" title="2015 Al-
Hawl offensive">Al-Hawl offensive</a><a
<li><a href="/wiki/Tishrin_Dam_offensive" title="Tishrin Dam offensive">Tishrin
Dam offensive</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Aleppo_offensive_(February_2016)" title="Northern
Aleppo offensive (February 2016)">Northern Aleppo offensive (February
2016)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Al-Shaddadi_offensive_(2016)" title="Al-Shaddadi offensive
(2016)">Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Tell_Abyad_(2016)" title="Battle of Tell Abyad
(2016)">Battle of Tell Abyad (2016)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Raqqa_offensive_(May_2016)" title="Northern Raqqa
offensive (May 2016)">Northern Raqqa offensive (May 2016)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/2016_Aleppo_summer_campaign" title="2016 Aleppo summer
campaign">2016 Aleppo campaign</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Manbij_offensive" title="Manbij offensive">Manbij offensive</a>
(2016)</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_al-Hasakah_(2016)" title="Battle of al-Hasakah
(2016)">Battle of al-Hasakah (2016)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Euphrates_Shield" title="Operation Euphrates
Shield">Operation Euphrates Shield</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Raqqa_campaign_(2016%E2%80%93present)" class="mw-
redirect" title="Raqqa campaign (2016–present)">Raqqa offensive (2016–2017)</a>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Tabqa_(2017)" title="Battle of Tabqa
(2017)">Battle of Tabqa Dam (2017)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Raqqa_(2017)" title="Battle of Raqqa (2017)">Battle of
Raqqa (2017)</a></li></ul></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor_offensive_(September_2017%E2%80%93present)"
class="mw-redirect" title="Deir ez-Zor offensive (September 2017–present)">Deir ez-
Zor offensive</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Olive_Branch" title="Operation Olive
Branch">Operation Olive Branch</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Khasham" title="Battle of Khasham">Battle of
Khasham</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor_Governorate_clashes_(April_2018)" title="Deir ez-
Zor Governorate clashes (April 2018)">Deir ez-Zor Governorate clashes (April
2018)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/2018_Eastern_Euphrates_Offensive" class="mw-redirect"
title="2018 Eastern Euphrates Offensive">2018 Eastern Euphrates Offensive</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Syria_Insurgency" class="mw-redirect" title="Eastern
Syria Insurgency">Eastern Syria Insurgency</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/2019_Turkish_offensive_into_north-eastern_Syria" title="2019
Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria">2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern
Syria</a></li></ul>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF; <a
href="/wiki/Arabic_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Arabic
language">Arabic</a>: ‫قوات سوريا‬
‫<الديمقراطية‬/span>‎, <a href="/wiki/Romanization_of_Arabic"
title="Romanization of Arabic">romanized</a>: Quwwāt Sūriyā al-Dīmuqrāṭīya
(QSD, ‫<قسد‬/b>); <a href="/wiki/Kurdish_language" class="mw-redirect"
title="Kurdish language">Kurdish</a>: Hêzên Sûriya
Demokratîk‎ (HSD); <a
href="/wiki/Classical_Syriac_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Classical Syriac
language">Classical Syriac</a>: ‫ܚܝܠܘܬܐ ܕܣܘܪܝܐ‬ ̈
‫<ܕܝܡܩܪܛܝܬܐ‬/span>‎, romanized: Ḥaylawotho d'Suriya
Demoqraṭoyto) is an alliance in the <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War" class="mw-
redirect" title="Syrian Civil War">Syrian Civil War</a><a href="#cite_note-108">[108]</a> composed
primarily of <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Kurds" class="mw-redirect" title="Syrian
Kurds">Kurdish</a>, <a href="/wiki/Syrian_people" class="mw-redirect"
title="Syrian people">Arab</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Assyrians_in_Syria"
title="Assyrians in Syria">Assyrian/Syriac</a> militias, as well as some smaller <a
href="/wiki/Armenians" title="Armenians">Armenian</a>, <a
href="/wiki/Syrian_Turkmen" title="Syrian Turkmen">Turkmen</a> and <a
href="/wiki/Chechens" title="Chechens">Chechen</a> forces.<a href="#cite_note-
armeniansdfforce-8">[8]</a> The SDF is militarily led by the <a
href="/wiki/People%27s_Protection_Units" title="People's Protection
Units">People's Protection Units</a> (YPG), a mostly Kurdish militia.[110]</a> Founded in October 2015, the SDF states its
mission as fighting to create a <a href="/wiki/Secular" class="mw-redirect"
title="Secular">secular</a>, democratic and decentralized <a href="/wiki/Syria"
title="Syria">Syria</a>. The updated December 2016 constitution of the <a
Administration of North and East Syria</a> (NES) names the SDF as its official
defence force.<a href="#cite_note-
111">[111]</a>
The primary opponents of the SDF are the various <a href="/wiki/Islamist"
class="mw-redirect" title="Islamist">Islamist</a> and <a
href="/wiki/Arab_nationalist" class="mw-redirect" title="Arab nationalist">Arab
nationalist</a> rebel groups involved in the civil war, in particular the <a
the Levant">Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant</a> (ISIL), the <a
href="/wiki/Turkish-backed_Free_Syrian_Army" title="Turkish-backed Free Syrian
Army">Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army</a> (TFSA), <a href="/wiki/Al-Qaeda"
title="Al-Qaeda">al-Qaeda</a> affiliates, <a href="/wiki/Turkey"
title="Turkey">Turkey</a> and their allies. The SDF has focused primarily on the
Islamic State,<a href="#cite_note-
112">[112]</a> successfully driving them from important strategic
areas, such as <a href="/wiki/Al-Hawl" title="Al-Hawl">Al-Hawl</a>, <a
href="/wiki/Shaddadi" class="mw-redirect" title="Shaddadi">Shaddadi</a>, <a
href="/wiki/Tishrin_Dam" title="Tishrin Dam">Tishrin Dam</a>, <a
href="/wiki/Manbij" title="Manbij">Manbij</a>, <a href="/wiki/Al-Thawrah"
title="Al-Thawrah">al-Tabqah</a>, <a href="/wiki/Tabqa_Dam" title="Tabqa
Dam">Tabqa Dam</a>, <a href="/wiki/Baath_Dam" title="Baath Dam">Baath
Dam</a>, and ISIL's former capital of <a href="/wiki/Raqqa"
title="Raqqa">Raqqa</a>.<a
118">[118]</a> In March 2019, the SDF announced the total
territorial defeat of the Islamic State in Syria, with the SDF taking control of the last
stronghold in <a href="/wiki/Baghuz" class="mw-redirect"
title="Baghuz">Baghuz</a>.<a
Since the defeat of the Islamic State, the SDF has increasingly been involved
with combating the growing <a href="/wiki/Turkish_occupation_of_northern_Syria"
title="Turkish occupation of northern Syria">Turkish occupation of northern
Syria</a>.

<div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-
heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox"
class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none" /><div class="toctitle" lang="en"
dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><label class="toctogglelabel"
for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></div>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Establishment">1 Establishment</a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="#Origins">1.1 Origins</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="#Foundation">1.2 Foundation</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="#Signatory_groups">1.3 Signatory
groups</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="#Syrian_Arab_Coalition">1.4 Syrian Arab
Coalition</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="#Size,_growth_and_composition">2 Size, growth and
composition</a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="#2015">2.1 2015</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-12"><a
href="#Support_by_the_United_States,_France_and_other_Western_nations">3 Support by the United States,
France and other Western nations</a></li>
href="#Reported_internal_conflict_between_SDF_factions">4 Reported internal conflict
between SDF factions</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14"><a href="#Alleged_war_crimes">5 Alleged war crimes</a>
<ul>
href="#Ethnic_cleansing_and_forced_displacement">5.1 Ethnic cleansing and forced
displacement</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16"><a href="#Recruitment_of_minors">5.2 Recruitment of
minors</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17"><a href="#See_also">6 See also</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18"><a href="#References">7 References</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19"><a href="#Bibliography">8 Bibliography</a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20"><a href="#External_links">9 External links</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>Establishment[<a
href="/w/index.php?
title=Syrian_Democratic_Forces&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit
section: Establishment">edit</a>]</h2>
<h3>Origins[<a href="/w/index.php?
section: Origins">edit</a>Multiple credible sources[<a
href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions"
title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch">who?
</a>] indicate that the <a href="/wiki/Kurdistan_Workers
%27_Party" title="Kurdistan Workers' Party">Kurdistan Workers' Party</a>
(PKK) is the driving force behind the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG)
and the YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).[121]</a>

<h3>Foundationedit</a>The establishment of the SDF was announced on 11 October 2015 during a press
conference in <a href="/wiki/Al-Hasakah" title="Al-Hasakah">al-Hasakah</a>.<a href="#cite_note-KQ1015-
122">[122]</a> The alliance built on longstanding previous
cooperation between the founding partners. While the <a href="/wiki/People
%27s_Protection_Units" title="People's Protection Units">People's Protection
Units</a> (Yekîneyên Parastina Gel, YPG) and the <a href="/wiki/Women
%27s_Protection_Units" title="Women's Protection Units">Women's Protection
Units</a> (Yekîneyên Parastina Jin, YPJ) had been operating throughout the regions
of the <a href="/wiki/Autonomous_Administration_of_North_and_East_Syria"
Syria">Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria</a>, the other founding
partners were more geographically focused.
Geographically focused on the <a href="/wiki/Euphrates_Region"
title="Euphrates Region">Euphrates Region</a> were the YPG's partners in the <a
href="/wiki/Euphrates_Volcano" title="Euphrates Volcano">Euphrates Volcano</a>
joint operations room, several mainstream Syrian rebel factions of the <a
href="/wiki/Free_Syrian_Army" title="Free Syrian Army">Free Syrian Army</a>,
who had helped defend the Kurdish town of <a href="/wiki/Koban%C3%AE"
title="Kobanî">Kobanî</a> during the <a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Koban%C3%AE"
title="Siege of Kobanî">Siege of Kobanî</a>. <a href="/wiki/Liwa_Thuwwar_al-
Raqqa" class="mw-redirect" title="Liwa Thuwwar al-Raqqa">Liwa Thuwwar al-
Raqqa</a> was also in Euphrates Volcano, and it was expelled by the <a
href="/wiki/Al-Nusra_Front" title="Al-Nusra Front">al-Nusra Front</a> and ISIL
from the city of <a href="/wiki/Raqqa" title="Raqqa">Raqqa</a> for being allied with
the YPG since April 2014. The group participated in the <a
href="/wiki/Tell_Abyad_offensive" title="Tell Abyad offensive">capture</a> of <a
href="/wiki/Tell_Abyad" title="Tell Abyad">Tell Abyad</a> from the Islamic State.
Geographically focused on the <a href="/wiki/Jazira_Region" title="Jazira
Region">Jazira Region</a> in northeast Syria were the <a
href="/wiki/Assyrian_people" title="Assyrian people">Assyrian</a> <a
href="/wiki/Syriac_Military_Council" title="Syriac Military Council">Syriac Military
Council</a> (Mawtbo Fulhoyo Suryoyo, MFS) and the <a href="/wiki/Al-
Sanadid_Forces" title="Al-Sanadid Forces">al-Sanadid Forces</a> of the Arab <a
href="/wiki/Shammar" title="Shammar">Shammar</a> tribe, both of whom had
cooperated with the YPG in fighting ISIL since 2013.<a href="#cite_note-SOHR-123">[123]</a> The
MFS is further politically aligned with the YPG via their shared secular ideology of <a
href="/wiki/Democratic_confederalism" class="mw-redirect" title="Democratic
confederalism">democratic confederalism</a>, which in the <a
href="/wiki/Assyrian_people" title="Assyrian people">Assyrian</a> community is
known as the <a href="/wiki/Dawronoye" title="Dawronoye">Dawronoye</a>
movement.<a href="#cite_note-
124">[124]</a>
Geographically focused on the Manbij Region was the <a
href="/wiki/Army_of_Revolutionaries" title="Army of Revolutionaries">Army of
Revolutionaries</a> (Jaysh al-Thuwar, JAT), itself an alliance of several groups of
diverse ethnic and political backgrounds, who had in common that they had been
rejected by the mainstream <a href="/wiki/Syrian_opposition" title="Syrian
opposition">Syrian opposition</a> for <a href="/wiki/Secularism"
title="Secularism">secular</a>, anti-<a href="/wiki/Islamism"
title="Islamism">Islamist</a> views and affiliations. However, most of the JAT
component groups have always used the <a href="/wiki/Free_Syrian_Army"
title="Free Syrian Army">Free Syrian Army</a> label and continue to use it.

<h3>Signatory
groups[<a href="/w/index.php?
section: Signatory groups">edit</a>The following groups signed the founding document:<a href="#cite_note-KQ1015-
122">[122]</a>

<div class="div-col columns column-width" style="-moz-column-width: 25em;
-webkit-column-width: 25em; column-width: 25em;">
<ol><li><a href="/wiki/People%27s_Protection_Units" title="People's
Protection Units">People's Protection Units</a> (Yekîneyên Parastina Gel, YPG)</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Protection_Units" title="Women's Protection
Units">Women's Protection Units</a> (Yekîneyên Parastina Jin, YPJ)</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Al-Sanadid_Forces" title="Al-Sanadid Forces">Al-Sanadid
Forces</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Syriac_Military_Council" title="Syriac Military Council">Syriac
Military Council</a> (Mawtbo Fulhoyo Suryoyo, MFS)</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Liwa_Thuwwar_al-Raqqa" class="mw-redirect" title="Liwa
Thuwwar al-Raqqa">Liwa Thuwwar al-Raqqa</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Euphrates_Volcano" title="Euphrates Volcano">Euphrates
Volcano</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Army_of_Revolutionaries" title="Army of Revolutionaries">Army
of Revolutionaries</a> (Jaysh al-Thuwar, JAT)
<ol><li>99th Infantry Brigade</li></ol></li>
<li>Brigade Groups of al-Jazira</li></ol>
</div>
On 10 December 2015, after a two-day conference, The Syrian Democratic
Council was established as a political platform of the SDF. Human rights activist <a
href="/wiki/Haytham_Manna" title="Haytham Manna">Haytham Manna</a> was co-
chairman at its founding.<a
href="#cite_note-125">[125]</a> The Assembly that established the
Syrian Democratic Council was made up of 13 members from specific ethnic,
economic and political backgrounds.

<h3>Syrian Arab
Coalitionedit</a>The Syrian Arab Coalition is called by the U.S. government as an alliance of
programmatically exclusively <a href="/wiki/Ethnic_group" title="Ethnic
group">ethnic</a> Arab militias established during the Syrian Civil War. In this
narrative, it consists of exclusively ethnic Arab component groups of the SDF
alliance,<a href="#cite_note-
126">[126]</a><a href="#cite_note-strenght-127">[127]</a>
such as the <a href="/wiki/Al-Sanadid_Forces" title="Al-Sanadid Forces">al-Sanadid
Forces</a>, the <a
href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces_military_councils#Deir_ez-Zor" title="Syrian
Democratic Forces military councils">Deir ez-Zor Military Council</a>, Arab units
within the <a href="/wiki/Army_of_Revolutionaries" title="Army of
Revolutionaries">Army of Revolutionaries</a>, along with smaller factions.

<h2>Size, growth and
compositionedit</a>2015edit</a>]</h3>
At the time of its founding in late 2015, <a href="/wiki/The_Economist"
title="The Economist">The Economist</a> described the SDF as "essentially a
subsidiary of the Kurdish YPG".<a

<ul><li>At the end of October 2015, the <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaitat" title="Al-
Shaitat">al-Shaitat</a> tribal militia, the Desert Hawks Brigade joined the SDF to
fight ISIL in the southern countryside of <a href="/wiki/Hasakah_Governorate"
class="mw-redirect" title="Hasakah Governorate">Hasakah Governorate</a>.[129]</a></li>
<li>On 15 November 2015, the FSA group <a
href="/wiki/Euphrates_Jarabulus_Battalions" title="Euphrates Jarabulus
Battalions">Euphrates Jarabulus Battalions</a> announced its accession to the Syrian
Democratic Forces.<a href="#cite_note-
130">[130]</a></li>
<li>On 2 December 2015, members of the <a href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor_Governorate"
title="Deir ez-Zor Governorate">Deir ez-Zor Governorate</a>-based Arab tribe <a
href="/wiki/Al-Shaitat" title="Al-Shaitat">al-Shaitat</a> joined the SDF, sending
fighters to <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaddadah" title="Al-Shaddadah">al-
Shaddadah</a>.<a href="#cite_note-
list-131">[131]</a></li></ul>
<div class="thumb tleft"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:202px;"><a
href="/wiki/File:Hussam_Awak.png" class="image"><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Hussam_Awak.png/200
px-Hussam_Awak.png" decoding="async" width="200" height="113"
class="thumbimage"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Hussam_Awak.png/3
00px-Hussam_Awak.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Hussam_Awak.png/400px-
Hussam_Awak.png 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="720" /></a> <div
class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a
href="/wiki/File:Hussam_Awak.png" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div><a
href="/wiki/Hussam_Awak" title="Hussam Awak">Hussam Awak</a>, a former <a
href="/wiki/Brigadier_general" title="Brigadier general">brigadier general</a> in the
<a href="/wiki/Syrian_Armed_Forces" title="Syrian Armed Forces">Syrian Armed
Forces</a> who resigned in 2005 and joined the SDF in October 2016, later leaving in
December 2017</div></div></div>
With continuous growth in particular due to Arab groups and volunteers joining, in
March 2016 only an estimated 60% of the men and women in the SDF fighting force
were ethnic <a href="/wiki/Kurds" title="Kurds">Kurds</a>.<a href="#cite_note-132">[132]</a> Growth in
particular of Arab, Turkmen and Assyrian participation in the SDF has since
continued. In an interview on the first anniversary of the SDF's founding, spokesman
<a href="/wiki/Talal_Silo" title="Talal Silo">Talal Silo</a>, an ethnic Turkmen and
former commander of the <a href="/wiki/Seljuq_Brigade" class="mw-redirect"
title="Seljuq Brigade">Seljuq Brigade</a>, stated that "we started with 13 factions
and now there are 32 factions", and that "90 percent" of the SDF growth since it began
its operations were ethnic Arabs.<a
href="#cite_note-133">[133]</a> In the context of the November
2016 <a href="/wiki/Northern_Raqqa_offensive_(November_2016)" class="mw-
redirect" title="Northern Raqqa offensive (November 2016)">Northern Raqqa
offensive</a>, The Economist said the SDF fighting force to be composed of
"about 20,000 YPG fighters and about 10,000 Arabs".<a href="#cite_note-134">[134]</a> The next
month in December 2016, Colonel John Dorrian, the Operation Inherent Resolve
spokesman, stated that the SDF contained around 45,000 fighters, of which more than
13,000 were Arabs.<a href="#cite_note-
135">[135]</a>

<ul><li>On 6 January 2016 an additional 400 members of the Arab <a
href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor_Governorate" title="Deir ez-Zor Governorate">Deir ez-Zor
Governorate</a>-based tribe <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaitat" title="Al-Shaitat">al-
Shaitat</a> joined the SDF, sending fighters to <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaddadah"
title="Al-Shaddadah">Al-Shaddadah</a>.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 <a
href="/wiki/Tishrin_Dam_offensive" title="Tishrin Dam offensive">Tishrin Dam
offensive</a>) joined the <a href="/wiki/Northern_Sun_Battalion" title="Northern
Sun Battalion">Northern Sun Battalion</a> and the SDF.On 28 February 2016, a group called Martyr Qasim Areef Battalion from <a
href="/wiki/Sarrin" title="Sarrin">Sarrin</a> was formed and joined the <a
href="/wiki/Army_of_Revolutionaries" title="Army of Revolutionaries">Army of
Revolutionaries</a> and the SDF.<a
href="#cite_note-list-131">[131]</a></li>
<li>On 10 March 2016, a group called the Soldiers of the Two Holy Mosques Brigade
joined the Syrian Democratic Forces as part of the Northern Sun Battalion.<a href="#cite_note-list-
131">[131]</a> It was formerly part of the <a
href="/wiki/Army_of_Mujahideen" title="Army of Mujahideen">Army of
Mujahideen</a>'s <a href="/wiki/19th_Division_(Syrian_rebel_group)" title="19th
Division (Syrian rebel group)">19th Division</a>. The group operated in the northern
<a href="/wiki/Aleppo_Governorate" title="Aleppo Governorate">Aleppo
Governorate</a> countryside, and also have a presence in <a href="/wiki/Aleppo"
title="Aleppo">Aleppo</a> city and <a href="/wiki/Kobani" class="mw-redirect"
title="Kobani">Kobani</a>.</li>
<li>On 12 March 2016, it was reported that more than 200 locals from the earlier
liberated areas around the town of <a href="/wiki/Shaddadi" class="mw-redirect"
title="Shaddadi">Shaddadi</a> joined the SDF, most of them Arabs.[138]</a></li>
<li>On 19 March 2016, it was reported that a group under the name of <a
href="/wiki/Liwa_Ahrar_al-Raqqa" class="mw-redirect" title="Liwa Ahrar al-
Raqqa">Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqa</a> ("Free Raqqa Brigade") joined the SDF.[139]</a> The group had earlier been known under the name
of Liwa al-Jihad fi Sabeel Allah ("Jihad in the Path of God Brigade") and had in
September 2014 been part of the <a href="/wiki/Euphrates_Volcano" title="Euphrates
Volcano">Euphrates Volcano</a> operations room.On 2 April 2016 the SDF established the <a
href="/wiki/Manbij_Military_Council" title="Manbij Military Council">Manbij
Military Council</a> with the goal of securing the city of <a href="/wiki/Manbij"
title="Manbij">Manbij</a> and its surrounding countryside (<a
href="/wiki/Manbij_offensive" title="Manbij offensive">Manbij offensive</a>). The
council also included previously unknown groups such as the <a
href="/wiki/Manbij_Revolutionaries_Battalion" title="Manbij Revolutionaries
Battalion">Manbij Revolutionaries Battalion</a>, or the Manbij Turkmen Brigade
which joined the Northern Sun Battalion of the Army of Revolutionaries.[141]</a></li>
<li>On 20 June 2016, a group called the Tel Rifaat Revolutionaries Battalion, with 250
members, joined the Kurdish Front of the Army of Revolutionaries.On 23 June 2016 in the <a href="/wiki/Nahiya_al-Shaddadah" class="mw-
redirect" title="Nahiya al-Shaddadah">al-Shaddadah</a> area, 158 <a href="/wiki/Al-
Shaitat" title="Al-Shaitat">al-Shaitat</a> tribesmen from the FSA group <a
href="/wiki/Elite_Forces_(Syria)" class="mw-redirect" title="Elite Forces
(Syria)">Elite Forces</a>, which was not yet an SDF component group at the time,
defected to join the SDF component group, the Desert Hawks Brigade, consisting of
members of that tribe.<a href="#cite_note-
<li>On 14 August 2016, after securing <a href="/wiki/Manbij"
title="Manbij">Manbij</a>, the SDF established the <a href="/wiki/Al-
Bab_Military_Council" class="mw-redirect" title="Al-Bab Military Council">al-Bab
Military Council</a> with the goal of securing the city of <a href="/wiki/Al-Bab"
title="Al-Bab">al-Bab</a> and its surrounding countryside.<a href="#cite_note-al-bab-
145">[145]</a></li>
<li>On 21 August, in a similar fashion to the establishment of the Manbij and al-Bab
Military Councils, the SDF established the <a href="/wiki/Jarablus_Military_Council"
class="mw-redirect" title="Jarablus Military Council">Jarablus Military Council</a>
with the goal of securing the city of <a href="/wiki/Jarablus" class="mw-redirect"
title="Jarablus">Jarablus</a> and its surrounding countryside. The council also
includes the newly established group, the Manbij Revolutionary Brigades.<a href="#cite_note-148">[148]</a> The
commander of the council, General Sattar Jader from Jarabulus Hawks Brigades, was
assassinated the next day, a suspect was later arrested.[150]</a></li>
<li>On 13 September 2016 the <a href="/wiki/Al-Nukhbat_Brigade" class="mw-
redirect" title="Al-Nukhbat Brigade">al-Nukhbat Brigade</a>, consisting of members
from the <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaitat" title="Al-Shaitat">al-Shaitat</a> and <a
href="/wiki/Shammar" title="Shammar">Shammar</a> tribes and led by <a
href="/wiki/Ahmad_Jarba" title="Ahmad Jarba">Ahmad Jarba</a>, joined the SDF.
While some of its members already had earlier defected and joined the SDF, the event
was called a major political coup for the SDF, as Jarba was the former President of the
<a
href="/wiki/National_Coalition_for_Syrian_Revolutionary_and_Opposition_Forces"
title="National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces">National
Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces</a> and now agreed to
work with the <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Council" title="Syrian Democratic
Council">Syrian Democratic Council</a> framework instead.</li>
<li>On 14 October 2016, the Free Officers Union, led by <a
href="/wiki/Hussam_Awak" title="Hussam Awak">Hussam Awak</a>, said to
number in the hundreds joined the SDF.<a href="#cite_note-ARA_News-
15">[15]</a><a href="#cite_note-Ajansa_Nûçeyan_a_Firatê-
16">[16]</a></li>
<li>On 31 October 2016, an all-female battalion was established within' the al-Bab
Military Council.<a
href="#cite_note-aranews.net-151">[151]</a></li>
<li>On 8 December 2016, the <a
Democratic Forces military councils">Deir ez-Zor Military Council</a> was
established.<a href="#cite_note-
auto2-19">[19]</a> The founding members consist of remnants of
the former <a href="/wiki/Free_Syrian_Army" title="Free Syrian Army">Free Syrian
Army</a> council of the same name, expelled from the city by the Islamic State in
2014, having joined the SDF in November 2016.<a href="#cite_note-CTC-
152">[152]</a></li></ul>
According to a March 2017 statement of the Spokesman for the International
Coalition forces, U.S. Colonel John Dorrian, 75 percent of the SDF forces fighting in
<a href="/wiki/Raqqa_offensive_(2016%E2%80%93present)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Raqqa offensive (2016–present)">Operation Wrath of Euphrates</a> to isolate
ISIL's de facto capital of Raqqa were Syrian Arabs, a reflection of the demographic
composition of that area. "The Syrian Democratic Forces are a multi-ethnic and multi-
sectarian organization, and that is one of the reasons why we're working with them and
they have continued to build the Arab element of their force."<a href="#cite_note-153">[153]</a> Concerning
the SDF in general, Lieutenant General <a href="/wiki/Stephen_Townsend"
class="mw-redirect" title="Stephen Townsend">Stephen Townsend</a> in the same
month said that "I'm seeing what is probably a pretty broad coalition of people and the
Kurds may be providing the leadership, because they have a capable leader who's
stepped up to this challenge. And they are providing some of the organisational skill,
but I see a large contingent about 23 to 25, 000 so far and growing, Arabs, who are
marching to liberate their part of northern Syria. So, I don't see a Kurdish state. I see a
multi-cultural, multi-party, multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian Syrian region being liberated
from ISIS. Over."<a href="#cite_note-
154">[154]</a>
Late June, an analysis by the <a href="/wiki/Combating_Terrorism_Center"
title="Combating Terrorism Center">Counter Terrorism Center</a> at <a
href="/wiki/West_Point,_New_York" title="West Point, New York">West Point</a>
said "growing acceptance of the SDF by Sunni Arab rebel groups" and more generally
"growing legitimacy of the SDF".<a
href="#cite_note-CTC-152">[152]</a> Another analysis as of late
June described the YPG as "only one faction of many within the SDF", however that
"it's the YPG that makes the SDF reliable and effective. The SDF's other components
function as auxiliaries to the SDF's 'backbone', the YPG, which ensures effective,
unitary command and control."<a

<ul><li>On 13 February, the first YPG/YPJ regiment in the <a
href="/wiki/Euphrates_Region" title="Euphrates Region">Euphrates Region</a> was
declared. The second regiment, named Şehîd Şevger Kobanî Regiment was
established on 18 February.<a
href="#cite_note-156">[156]</a> A total of 4 regiments were
declared.<a href="#cite_note-
auto4-157">[157]</a></li>
<li>On 25 February 2017, the YPG agreed to hand over security in the <a
href="/wiki/Syrian-Assyrians" class="mw-redirect" title="Syrian-
Assyrians">Assyrian</a> towns along the <a href="/wiki/Khabur_(Euphrates)"
title="Khabur (Euphrates)">Khabur River</a> to the <a
href="/wiki/Khabour_Guards" title="Khabour Guards">Khabour Guards</a> and <a
href="/wiki/Nattoreh" title="Nattoreh">Nattoreh</a> which joined the SDF.<a href="#cite_note-seek-
7">[7]</a></li>
<li>On 27 February 2017, the first YPG/YPJ regiment in the <a
href="/wiki/Afrin_Region" title="Afrin Region">Afrin Region</a>, named Martyr
Xebat Dêrik Regiment was declared.<a href="#cite_note-auto4-157">[157]</a></li>
<li>On 8 April 2017, the Jazeera Knights Brigade was established.<a href="#cite_note-hawarnews.com1-
25">[25]</a></li>
<li>On 10 April 2017, two new YPG/YPJ regiments, named Martyr Gabar
Regiment and Dêrik and Martyr Zana Regiment were established in the <a
href="/wiki/Jazira_Region" title="Jazira Region">Jazira Region</a>.<a href="#cite_note-auto4-
157">[157]</a></li>
<li>On 4 May 2017, the International Anti-Fascist Battalion was renamed to the YPG
International Battalion and became a part of the YPG.</li>
<li>On 17 May 2017, the <a href="/wiki/Raqqa_Internal_Security_Forces"
title="Raqqa Internal Security Forces">Raqqa Internal Security Forces</a> were
established.<a
href="#cite_note-middleeasteye.net-89">[89]</a></li>
<li>On 8 June, between 60 and 70 <a href="/wiki/Turkish-
backed_Free_Syrian_Army" title="Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army">Turkish-
backed Free Syrian Army</a> fighters, including several <a
href="/wiki/Sultan_Murad_Division" title="Sultan Murad Division">Sultan Murad
Division</a> commanders, defected to the <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Army" title="Syrian
Army">Syrian Army</a> and the SDF during infighting between TFSA factions.[158]</a></li>
<li>On 10 July, an all-female Arab SDF group was established in Deir ez-Zor, the
Martyr Amara Arab Women's Battalion, named after a female Arab SDF fighter that
died in combat. Their area of focus will be the <a href="/wiki/Deir_ez-
Zor_Governorate" title="Deir ez-Zor Governorate">Deir ez-Zor Governorate</a>. The
group currently consists of 35 fighters from the cities of <a href="/wiki/Hama"
title="Hama">Hama</a>, <a href="/wiki/Raqqa" title="Raqqa">al-Raqqa</a>, <a
href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor" title="Deir ez-Zor">Deir ez-Zor</a> and <a
href="/wiki/Hasakah" class="mw-redirect" title="Hasakah">Hasakah</a>, along with
the town of <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaddadah" title="Al-Shaddadah">al-
Shaddadah</a>.<a
href="#cite_note-female-20">[20]</a><a href="#cite_note-aranews.net1-
21">[21]</a></li>
<li>On 15 August, the Revolutionary Forces was formed as part of the SDF in
northern Aleppo, with the intent to fight the <a
href="/wiki/Turkish_occupation_of_northern_Syria" title="Turkish occupation of
northern Syria">Turkish occupation of northern Syria</a>.<a href="#cite_note-rf-33">[33]</a></li>
<li>On 25 August, 800 fighters left the <a href="/wiki/Elite_Forces_(Syria)"
class="mw-redirect" title="Elite Forces (Syria)">Elite Forces</a> and were integrated
into the ranks of the SDF and its <a
Democratic Forces military councils">Deir ez-Zor Military Council</a>. The fighters
said the Elite Forces were committing corruption. These forces consist of 7 units of <a
href="/wiki/Al-Baggara" title="Al-Baggara">al-Baggara</a> and <a href="/wiki/Al-
Shaitat" title="Al-Shaitat">al-Shaitat</a> tribal fighters stationed in the eastern Raqqa
and southern Hasaka countrysides.<a
<li>On 4 September, a faction of the Northern Brigade, which is a <a
Army">TFSA</a> unit, defected to the SDF.Around 10 September, dozens of militiamen of the pro-government <a
href="/wiki/Forces_of_the_Fighters_of_the_Tribes" title="Forces of the Fighters of
the Tribes">Forces of the Fighters of the Tribes</a> joined the SDF. These
militiamen had previously been overrun by ISIL during the <a
href="/wiki/Central_Syria_campaign_(July_2017%E2%80%93present)" class="mw-
redirect" title="Central Syria campaign (July 2017–present)">Central Syria
campaign</a> and retreated into SDF-held areas in order to avoid being captured by
the Islamist militants. Feeling abandoned by their old commander, they eventually
decided to stay with the SDF.<a
<li>At some point during the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Raqqa_(2017)" title="Battle of
Raqqa (2017)">Battle of Raqqa (2017)</a>, the "Elite Forces" fell out with the SDF,
and officially left the alliance. Thereafter, the group reportedly disintegrated.[162]</a></li>
<li>On 15 November 2017, <a href="/wiki/Talal_Silo" title="Talal Silo">Talal
Silo</a>, defected or surrendered to the Turkish Army, the nature of his leaving the
SDF being up for dispute.<a href="#cite_note-reut.rs_2munX7b-
163">[163]</a><a href="#cite_note-sdf-press_2017-11-
164">[164]</a><a href="#cite_note-rudaw_151120171-
165">[165]</a></li>
<li>On 27 November 2017, the Martyr Adnan Abu Amjad Regiment, consisting of
250 fighters was established, and joined the <a href="/wiki/Manbij_Military_Council"
title="Manbij Military Council">Manbij Military Council</a></li>
<li>On 20 December 2017, <a href="/wiki/Hussam_Awak" title="Hussam
Awak">Hussam Awak</a> announced his resignation from the SDF on his <a
href="/wiki/Facebook" title="Facebook">Facebook</a> page without providing any
reasons.<a
href="#cite_note-baladi-news_25944-14">[14]</a></li></ul>
<table class="box-Update plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Update"
style="width:52px"><img alt="Ambox current red.svg"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Ambox_current_red.svg
/42px-Ambox_current_red.svg.png" decoding="async" width="42" height="34"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Ambox_current_red.s
vg/63px-Ambox_current_red.svg.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Ambox_current_red.svg/84px
-Ambox_current_red.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="360" data-file-height="290"
/></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This section needs
to be updated. Please update this article to
reflect recent events or newly available information. (July
2018)</div></td></tr></tbody></table>
<div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:222px;"><a
href="/wiki/File:Claimed_and_de_facto_territory_of_Rojava.png"
class="image"><img alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Claimed_and_de_facto_
territory_of_Rojava.png/220px-Claimed_and_de_facto_territory_of_Rojava.png"
decoding="async" width="220" height="182" class="thumbimage"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Claimed_and_de_fact
o_territory_of_Rojava.png/330px-Claimed_and_de_facto_territory_of_Rojava.png
1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Claimed_and_de_facto_territ
ory_of_Rojava.png/440px-Claimed_and_de_facto_territory_of_Rojava.png 2x" data-
file-width="2000" data-file-height="1653" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div
class="magnify"><a
href="/wiki/File:Claimed_and_de_facto_territory_of_Rojava.png" class="internal"
title="Enlarge"></a></div>SDF-controlled territory (green), claimed territory
(orange), <a href="/wiki/Turkish_occupation_of_northern_Syria" title="Turkish
occupation of northern Syria">Turkish-occupied territory</a> (red) in October
2019</div></div></div>
href="/wiki/File:Forces_d%C3%A9mocratiques_syriennes_22_janvier_2018.jpg"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Forces_d
%C3%A9mocratiques_syriennes_22_janvier_2018.jpg/300px-Forces_d
%C3%A9mocratiques_syriennes_22_janvier_2018.jpg" decoding="async"
width="300" height="164" class="thumbimage"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Forces_d
%C3%A9mocratiques_syriennes_22_janvier_2018.jpg 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Forces_d
%C3%A9mocratiques_syriennes_22_janvier_2018.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1276"
data-file-height="699" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a
href="/wiki/File:Forces_d%C3%A9mocratiques_syriennes_22_janvier_2018.jpg"
class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Press conference of the SDF on 22
January 2018, involving Kino Gabriel (center), spokesman of the
SDF.</div></div></div>
<ul><li>On 13 January 2018, it was announced that the US-led Coalition would train a
group called the <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Border_Security_Force" title="Syrian Border
Security Force">Syrian Border Security Force</a> (BSF), and would aim to reach
30,000 fighters, half of those being composed by current SDF members.<a href="#cite_note-
thedefensepost.com_2-166">[166]</a></li>
<li>On 20 January 2018, Kino Gabriel, the spokesman for the <a
href="/wiki/Syriac_Military_Council" title="Syriac Military Council">Syriac Military
Council</a>, was also made the spokesman for the SDF.<a href="#cite_note-sdf-press.com-
47">[47]</a></li>
<li>In early June 2018, the Brigade For The Liberation of Idlib and Afrin, and the
Idlib Revolutionaries Brigade where established.</li>
<li>In July 2018, the first <a href="/wiki/Sapper" title="Sapper">Sapper</a> unit was
established.<a
href="#cite_note-dvidshub.net-4">[4]</a></li>
<li>On 1 August 2018, the first Special Forces Regiment was formed.<a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA-
3">[3]</a></li>
<li>On 24 September 2018, the <a href="/wiki/Assyrian_Democratic_Party_(Syria)"
class="mw-redirect" title="Assyrian Democratic Party (Syria)">Assyrian Democratic
Party</a> announced the creation of a united military leadership for <a
href="/wiki/Nattoreh" title="Nattoreh">Nattoreh</a> and the <a
href="/wiki/Khabour_Guards" title="Khabour Guards">Khabour Guards</a>. The
united force will known as the "Ashur Forces".</li></ul>
container">(January
<ul><li>On 23 March 2019, the SDF announced the seizure of the last of ISIS
territory in Syria after capturing the Syrian city of <a href="/wiki/Al-
Baghuz_Fawqani" title="Al-Baghuz Fawqani">Baghuz</a>.On 24 April 2019, the Armenian <a
href="/wiki/Martyr_Nubar_Ozanyan_Brigade" title="Martyr Nubar Ozanyan
Brigade">Martyr Nubar Ozanyan Brigade</a> was founded in the Marziya Church in
<a href="/wiki/Tell_Goran" title="Tell Goran">Tell Goran</a> on the 104th <a
href="/wiki/Armenian_Genocide_Remembrance_Day" title="Armenian Genocide
Remembrance Day">Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day</a>.<a href="#cite_note-armeniansdfforce-
8">[8]</a></li>
<li>In June & July 2019, ten military councils were formed.<a href="#cite_note-168">[168]</a>[169]</a></li>
<li>On 9 October 2019, Turkey started bombardment on SDF territory for a planned
invasion called <a href="/wiki/Operation_Peace_Spring" class="mw-redirect"
title="Operation Peace Spring">Operation Peace Spring</a>.<a href="#cite_note-cnn091019-
170">[170]</a><a href="#cite_note-cbsnews091019-
171">[171]</a> after American troops withdrew from the Syrian-
Turkish border, leading to international condemnation of the invasion with <a
href="/wiki/Azerbaijan" title="Azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a> and all <a href="/wiki/-
stan" title="-stan">-stan</a> countries excluding <a href="/wiki/Afghanistan"
title="Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a> supporting the invasion.[173]</a></li></ul>
<h2>
Support by
the United States, France and other Western nationsedit</a>]</h2>
container">(July
<ul><li>On 12 October 2015, the <a
href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Defense" title="United States Department
of Defense">Pentagon</a> confirmed U.S. <a href="/wiki/Boeing_C-
17_Globemaster_III" title="Boeing C-17 Globemaster III">C-17</a> transport aircraft
having dropped 100 pallets with 45 tons of arms and ammunition over SDF-controlled
territory in the <a
Administration of North and East Syria</a>. <a href="/w/index.php?
title=Polat_Can&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Polat Can
(page does not exist)">Polat Can</a>, spokesman of the SDF component militia
People's Protection Units (YPG), identified the freight as being "assault rifles, mortars
and ammunition, but no <a href="/wiki/BGM-71_TOW" title="BGM-71
TOW">TOW</a> anti-tank missiles nor anti-aircraft weapons".<a href="#cite_note-McClatchy-
href="#cite_note-175">[175]</a> The airdrop came only days after
the Pentagon had officially abandoned its failed $500 million <a
href="/wiki/Syrian_Train_and_Equip_Program" title="Syrian Train and Equip
Program">train-and-equip program</a> that armed mainstream opposition groups who
were also opposed to ISIL.<a
<li>During the SDF's February 2016 <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaddadi_offensive_(2016)"
title="Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016)">al-Shaddadi offensive</a>, there were <a
href="/wiki/US_special_forces" class="mw-redirect" title="US special forces">US
special forces</a> embedded with the SDF forces who coordinated airstrikes against
ISIL with the SDF.<a href="#cite_note-
177">[177]</a></li>
<li>On 17 March 2016, the day after the declaration of the Autonomous
Administration of North and East Syria, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter praised
the SDF component militia People's Protection Units (YPG) as having "proven to be
excellent partners of ours on the ground in fighting ISIL. We are grateful for that, and
we intend to continue to do that, recognizing the complexities of their regional
role."<a href="#cite_note-
178">[178]</a></li>
<li>During the SDF's May 2016 offensive against ISIL in Northern Raqqa, the
presence of <a href="/wiki/Special_Forces_(United_States_Army)" class="mw-
redirect" title="Special Forces (United States Army)">U.S. Special Forces</a> was
widely reported, and several photographs of them wearing badges of the YPG and YPJ
on their uniforms circulated.<a
href="/wiki/File:SDF_Guardian_Armored_Personnel_Carrier_1.png"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/SDF_Guardian_Armore
d_Personnel_Carrier_1.png/300px-
SDF_Guardian_Armored_Personnel_Carrier_1.png" decoding="async" width="300"
height="178" class="thumbimage"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/SDF_Guardian_Arm
ored_Personnel_Carrier_1.png/450px-
SDF_Guardian_Armored_Personnel_Carrier_1.png 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/SDF_Guardian_Armored_Per
sonnel_Carrier_1.png/600px-SDF_Guardian_Armored_Personnel_Carrier_1.png 2x"
data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="608" /></a> <div
href="/wiki/File:SDF_Guardian_Armored_Personnel_Carrier_1.png" class="internal"
title="Enlarge"></a></div>An SDF IAG Guardian <a
href="/wiki/Armoured_personnel_carrier" title="Armoured personnel
carrier">armoured personnel carrier</a> in February 2017, one of several APCs that
were supplied by the United States to the SDF.</div></div></div>
<ul><li>On 21 May 2016, <a href="/wiki/Joseph_Votel" title="Joseph
Votel">General Joseph Votel</a>, commanding general of <a
href="/wiki/United_States_Central_Command" title="United States Central
Command">U.S. Central Command</a>, completed a secret several-hour-long trip to
northern Syria to visit several locations where there were U.S. special operations
forces and meet with local forces the U.S. was helping train to fight <a
the Levant">ISIL</a>. The visit came as the first of 250 additional U.S. special
operations forces were beginning to arrive in Syria to work with local forces.<a href="#cite_note-
edition.cnn.com-53">[53]</a> The commander overseeing the war
in <a href="/wiki/Syria" title="Syria">Syria</a>, at the end of a long Saturday spent
touring SDF bases, said "We do, absolutely, have to go with what we've got".<a href="#cite_note-
The_Washington_Post-54">[54]</a></li>
<li>During the SDF's summer 2016 <a href="/wiki/Manbij_offensive" title="Manbij
offensive">Manbij offensive</a> against ISIL, the <a href="/wiki/U.S._Air_Force"
class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Air Force">U.S. Air Force</a> as well as special
operation forces of several Western nations supported the SDF advance. The <a
href="/wiki/Syrian_Observatory_for_Human_Rights" title="Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights">Syrian Observatory for Human Rights</a> stated that besides US
special forces, <a href="/wiki/German_special_forces" title="German special
forces">German</a> and <a href="/wiki/Special_Operations_Command_(France)"
title="Special Operations Command (France)">French</a> forces were
participating.<a
href="#cite_note-syriahr.com-180">[180]</a> Germany officially
denied the report,<a href="#cite_note-
181">[181]</a> but France confirmed it.<a href="#cite_note-
europe.newsweek.com-57">[57]</a><a href="#cite_note-sputniknews.com-
58">[58]</a></li>
<li>After two <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Arab_Air_Force" class="mw-redirect"
title="Syrian Arab Air Force">Syrian Air Force</a> <a href="/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-24"
title="Sukhoi Su-24">SU-24's</a> started air strikes in <a href="/wiki/Al-Hasakah"
title="Al-Hasakah">Al-Hasakah</a>, on 19 August 2016,<a href="#cite_note-aljazeera.com-
55">[55]</a> near where <a href="/wiki/US_special_forces"
class="mw-redirect" title="US special forces">coalition forces</a> were conducting
operations on the ground, <a href="/wiki/Combined_Joint_Task_Force_
%E2%80%93_Operation_Inherent_Resolve" title="Combined Joint Task Force –
Operation Inherent Resolve">coalition aircraft arrived</a> and the <a
of Defense">United States Department of Defense</a> said that "It troubles us when
we see regime air strikes in <a href="/wiki/Al-Hasakah" title="Al-
Hasakah">Hasakah</a> in an area where it is well known by everybody, to include the
<a href="/wiki/Bashar_al-Assad" title="Bashar al-Assad">Assad</a> regime, that the
coalition is actively engaged in operations against Isis",<a href="#cite_note-independent.co.uk-
56">[56]</a> implicitly recognizing that <a
href="/wiki/US_special_forces" class="mw-redirect" title="US special forces">elite
troops</a> are training and supporting the YPG and the Syrian Democratic Forces in
the area.<a
href="#cite_note-independent.co.uk-56">[56]</a></li>
<li>During the late summer 2016 <a
href="/wiki/Turkish_military_intervention_in_the_Syrian_Civil_War" class="mw-
redirect" title="Turkish military intervention in the Syrian Civil War">Turkish military
intervention in the Syrian Civil War</a> in the Manbij Region, U.S. Special
Operations Forces embedded with SDF forces in order to successfully deter Turkey
and Turkish-backed jihadi rebels from attacking SDF forces south of the Sajur
river.<a href="#cite_note-
Tastekin-22">[22]</a> Further, the <a
of Defense">United States Department of Defense</a> confirmed that U.S. Special
Operation Forces were flying U.S. flags in the town of <a href="/wiki/Tell_Abyad"
title="Tell Abyad">Tell Abyad</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Euphrates_Region"
title="Euphrates Region">Euphrates Region</a> to deter Turkish harassment shelling
or attacks against SDF forces there.<a
<li>During the SDF's late summer 2016 <a href="/wiki/Western_al-
Bab_offensive_(2016)" class="mw-redirect" title="Western al-Bab offensive
(2016)">Western al-Bab offensive</a> against ISIL, the U.S. Air Force provided close
combat support for SDF forces.<a href="#cite_note-harbul-1-
183">[183]</a></li>
<li>Late September 2016, the U.S. spokesman for the <a
href="/wiki/Combined_Joint_Task_Force_
%E2%80%93_Operation_Inherent_Resolve" title="Combined Joint Task Force –
Operation Inherent Resolve">Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent
Resolve</a> (CJTF–OIR) confirmed that the SDF, including the YPG, is also part of
the "vetted forces" in the train and equip program and will be supplied with weapons.
The <a href="/wiki/President_of_Turkey" title="President of Turkey">President of
Turkey</a>, <a href="/wiki/Recep_Tayyip_Erdo%C4%9Fan" title="Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan">Recep Tayyip Erdoğan</a>, condemned this and stated that the SDF are
"endangering our future".<a
<li>Early October 2016, media reports highlighted construction work on another
military airfield in SDF controlled territory for operations of U.S. air assets, in the
vicinity of <a href="/wiki/Al-Shaddadah" title="Al-Shaddadah">al-Shaddadah</a> in
the <a href="/wiki/Jazira_Region" title="Jazira Region">Jazira Region</a>,<a href="#cite_note-187">[187]</a> in addition
to the two airfields the U.S. is widely reported to already co-operate there: <a
href="/wiki/Abu_Hajar_Airport" title="Abu Hajar Airport">Abu Hajar Airport</a> in
<a href="/wiki/Rmelan" title="Rmelan">Rmelan</a> in the Jazira Region and one
airfield at the village of Septe south of <a href="/wiki/Koban%C3%AE"
title="Kobanî">Kobanî</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Euphrates_Region" title="Euphrates
Region">Euphrates Region</a>.<a
<div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:302px;"><div
id="mwe_player_0" class="PopUpMediaTransform" style="width:300px;"
videopayload="<div class="mediaContainer"
style="width:854px"><video id="mwe_player_1"
poster="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/US_armoured_
vehicles_pass_through_Qamishli.ogv/854px--
US_armoured_vehicles_pass_through_Qamishli.ogv.jpg"
controls="" preload="none" autoplay=""
style="width:854px;height:480px" class="kskin" data-
durationhint="52.500317460317" data-startoffset="0" data-
mwtitle="US_armoured_vehicles_pass_through_Qamishli.ogv" data-
mwprovider="wikimediacommons"><source
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/18/US_armoured
_vehicles_pass_through_Qamishli.ogv/US_armoured_vehicles_pass_through_Qamishl
i.ogv.480p.webm" type="video/webm; codecs="vp8,
vorbis"" data-title="SD WebM (480P)" data-
shorttitle="WebM 480P" data-transcodekey="480p.webm"
data-width="854" data-height="480" data-
bandwidth="1076768" data-framerate="25"/><source
i.ogv.480p.vp9.webm" type="video/webm; codecs="vp9,
opus"" data-title="SD VP9 (480P)" data-
shorttitle="VP9 480P" data-transcodekey="480p.vp9.webm"
vorbis"" data-title="HD WebM (720P)" data-
opus"" data-title="HD VP9 (720P)" data-
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/US_armoured_vehicles_
pass_through_Qamishli.ogv" type="video/ogg; codecs="theora,
vorbis"" data-title="Original Ogg file, 1,280 × 720 (8.71
Mbps)" data-shorttitle="Ogg source" data-width="1280"
data-height="720" data-bandwidth="8714780" data-
framerate="25"/><source
opus"" data-title="Lowest bandwidth VP9 (120P)" data-
vorbis"" data-title="Low bandwidth WebM (160P)" data-
opus"" data-title="Low bandwidth VP9 (180P)" data-
vorbis"" data-title="Small WebM (240P)" data-
opus"" data-title="Small VP9 (240P)" data-
vorbis"" data-title="WebM (360P)" data-
opus"" data-title="VP9 (360P)" data-
bandwidth="730840" data-
framerate="25"/></video></div>"><img alt="File:US
armoured vehicles pass through Qamishli.ogv" style="width:300px;height:169px"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/US_armoured_vehicles_
pass_through_Qamishli.ogv/300px--
US_armoured_vehicles_pass_through_Qamishli.ogv.jpg" /><a
href="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/US_armoured_vehicles_pass_
through_Qamishli.ogv" title="Play media" target="new">Play media</a></div> <div
href="/wiki/File:US_armoured_vehicles_pass_through_Qamishli.ogv" class="internal"
title="Enlarge"></a></div><a href="/wiki/U.S._Army" class="mw-redirect"
title="U.S. Army">U.S. Army</a> <a href="/wiki/Stryker"
title="Stryker">Stryker</a> armoured vehicles drive through <a
href="/wiki/Qamishli" title="Qamishli">Qamishli</a> and head to the Syria–Turkey
border after <a href="/wiki/April_2017_Turkish_airstrikes_in_Syria_and_Iraq"
title="April 2017 Turkish airstrikes in Syria and Iraq">Turkish–YPG April 2017
border clashes</a>.</div></div></div>
<ul><li>Late October 2016, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. <a
href="/wiki/Stephen_J._Townsend" title="Stephen J. Townsend">Stephen J.
Townsend</a>, the commander of the <a
href="/wiki/Military_intervention_against_ISIL#3_December_2014" class="mw-
redirect" title="Military intervention against ISIL">international coalition against the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant</a>, said that the SDF would lead the impending
assault on <a href="/wiki/Raqqa" title="Raqqa">Raqqa</a>, ISIL's stronghold and
capital, and that SDF commanders would plan the operation with advice from
American and coalition troops.<a
href="#cite_note-192">[192]</a> From November, more than 300
U.S. Special Operations Forces were embedded to train and advise SDF fighters in the
<a href="/wiki/Northern_Raqqa_offensive_(November_2016)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Northern Raqqa offensive (November 2016)">Raqqa offensive</a>.[193]</a></li>
<li>In January 2017, the <a href="/wiki/European_Syriac_Union" title="European
Syriac Union">European Syriac Union</a> in <a href="/wiki/Brussels"
title="Brussels">Brussels</a> requested the US to provide more support for the
Assyrian and Kurdish components of the Syrian Democratic Forces. The US
reportedly favoured the Arab components in the SDF,<a href="#cite_note-194">[194]</a> in April the
MFS and the HSNB reaffirming the request for more support from the US.<a href="#cite_note-
Syriac_Military_Council-195">[195]</a><a href="#cite_note-
Syriac_Military_Council-195">[195]</a></li>
<li>In late January 2017, the SDF received a number of <a
href="/wiki/Armoured_personnel_carrier" title="Armoured personnel
carrier">armoured personnel carriers</a> produced by <a href="/wiki/ArmorGroup"
title="ArmorGroup">ArmorGroup</a> and supplied by the US.In February 2017, Stephen Townsend visited <a href="/wiki/Koban%C3%AE"
title="Kobanî">Kobanî</a>. On 25 February, the US Central Command stated that it
would continue to train and equip forces of the <a
href="/wiki/Manbij_Military_Council" title="Manbij Military Council">Manbij
Military Council</a>.<a href="#cite_note-
197">[197]</a> During the <a
href="/wiki/East_Aleppo_offensive_(February%E2%80%93March_2017)"
class="mw-redirect" title="East Aleppo offensive (February–March 2017)">East
Aleppo offensive (February–March 2017)</a>, the US deployed troops and armored
vehicles to villages near Manbij in an attempt to "deter" the skirmishes between the
SDF and Turkey-backed forces west and north of Manbij.In late March 2017, the US delivered 30 more Guardian armoured vehicles to the
SDF for use in the Raqqa offensive.<a
<li>In late April 2017, the U.S. just as in the summer 2016 once again deployed U.S.
troops embedded with the SDF to the border between the <a
Administration of North and East Syria</a>/<a href="/wiki/Syria"
title="Syria">Syria</a> and <a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a>, in
order to deter Turkish aggressions against the SDF, which this time coincided with the
SDF's breakthrough advances against ISIL in the <a
href="/wiki/Raqqa_campaign_(2016%E2%80%93present)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Raqqa campaign (2016–present)">Raqqa campaign</a>.[201]</a></li></ul>
href="/wiki/File:Raqqa_Syrian_Democratic_Forces_1.jpg" class="image"><img
alt=""
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Raqqa_Syrian_Democra
tic_Forces_1.jpg/300px-Raqqa_Syrian_Democratic_Forces_1.jpg" decoding="async"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Raqqa_Syrian_Demo
cratic_Forces_1.jpg/450px-Raqqa_Syrian_Democratic_Forces_1.jpg 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Raqqa_Syrian_Democratic_F
orces_1.jpg/600px-Raqqa_Syrian_Democratic_Forces_1.jpg 2x" data-file-
width="1218" data-file-height="682" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div
class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Raqqa_Syrian_Democratic_Forces_1.jpg"
class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>SDF fighters celebrating their victory in
the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Raqqa_(2017)" title="Battle of Raqqa (2017)">Battle of
Raqqa</a> against <a href="/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant"
title="Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant">ISIL</a>, mid-October
2017</div></div></div>
<ul><li>On 9 May 2017, it was announced by the Pentagon that American President
<a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">Donald Trump</a> 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.<a
204">[204]</a></li>
<li>By July 2017, more than 8,500 members of the SDF have been trained by the US-
led coalition and in the first half of 2017, more than 400 vehicles and other equipment
have been delivered to over 40,000 SDF troops.According to a report from the Kurdish news network <a
href="/wiki/Kurdistan_24" title="Kurdistan 24">Kurdistan 24</a>, the major SDF
component group, <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Protection_Units" title="People's
Protection Units">YPG</a> forces, received about 800 truckloads of military supplies
from the Pentagon from early June to the end of July 2017.In a joint report published on 12 September 2017, the Organized Crime and
Corruption Reporting Project (<a
href="/wiki/Organized_Crime_and_Corruption_Reporting_Project" title="Organized
Crime and Corruption Reporting Project">OCCRP</a>) and the Balkan Investigative
Reporting Network (<a href="/wiki/Balkan_Investigative_Reporting_Network"
class="mw-redirect" title="Balkan Investigative Reporting Network">BIRN</a>)
reported that the Pentagon had so far delivered up to $2.2 billion worth of weapons to
the Syrian Democratic Forces.<a
<li>In late November 2017, Turkish officials stated that Trump told Erdoğan during
their November 24 phone conversation that the U.S. would end arms supplies to the
SDF. Erdoğan said: "For the first time in a long while, a common wavelength was
reached."<a href="#cite_note-
211">[211]</a> But Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) denied on
November 28 that there was a halt in the Washington armament, saying they were
provided with weapons by the U.S. the day before.<a href="#cite_note-212">[212]</a> Kurdish
officials also said on November 27 that the United States would only "adjust" its
delivery of weapons to the SDF. U.S. officials also stated that they would continue to
work with their Kurdish and Arab partners of SDF but will only review and adjust its
delivery of weapons which is being done regularly.<a href="#cite_note-213">[213]</a> The
International Coalition also confirmed its support for SDF is ongoing.[214]</a></li>
<li>On 12 February 2018, the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Defense"
title="United States Department of Defense">United States Department of
Defense</a> released a budget blueprint for 2019 which with respect to the <a
Administration of North and East Syria</a>, including $300 million for the SDF and
$250 million for border security.<a
<li>On 29 March 2018, French President <a href="/wiki/Emmanuel_Macron"
title="Emmanuel Macron">Emmanuel Macron</a> vowed to send troops to Syria's <a
href="/wiki/Manbij" title="Manbij">Manbij</a> in a bid to assist local SDF militias in
preventing Turkish forces from advancing on the town.<a href="#cite_note-216">[216]</a></li></ul>
<div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:302px;"><div
id="mwe_player_2" class="PopUpMediaTransform" style="width:300px;"
videopayload="<div class="mediaContainer"
style="width:854px"><video id="mwe_player_3"
poster="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/DVIDS_-
_Video_-_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-Fire.webm/854px--
DVIDS_-_Video_-_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-
Fire.webm.jpg" controls="" preload="none"
autoplay="" style="width:854px;height:480px"
class="kskin" data-durationhint="15.875" data-
startoffset="0" data-mwtitle="DVIDS_-_Video_-
_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-Fire.webm" data-
mwprovider="wikimediacommons"><source
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/17/DVIDS_-
_Video_-_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-
Fire.webm/DVIDS_-_Video_-
_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-
Fire.webm.480p.webm" type="video/webm; codecs="vp8,
vorbis"" data-title="SD WebM (480P)" data-
bandwidth="1112000" data-framerate="59.94"/><source
Fire.webm.480p.vp9.webm" type="video/webm; codecs="vp9,
opus"" data-title="SD VP9 (480P)" data-
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/DVIDS_-_Video_-
_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-Fire.webm"
type="video/webm; codecs="vp8, vorbis"" data-
title="Original WebM file, 1,024 × 576 (2.08 Mbps)" data-
shorttitle="WebM source" data-width="1024" data-
height="576" data-bandwidth="2081564" data-
framerate="59.94"/><source
opus"" data-title="Lowest bandwidth VP9 (120P)" data-
vorbis"" data-title="Low bandwidth WebM (160P)" data-
opus"" data-title="Low bandwidth VP9 (180P)" data-
vorbis"" data-title="Small WebM (240P)" data-
opus"" data-title="Small VP9 (240P)" data-
vorbis"" data-title="WebM (360P)" data-
opus"" data-title="VP9 (360P)" data-
bandwidth="703400" data-
framerate="59.94"/></video></div>"><img
alt="File:DVIDS - Video - Coalition Soldiers Train SDF Commandos on Stress-
Fire.webm" style="width:300px;height:169px"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/DVIDS_-_Video_-
_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-Fire.webm/300px--DVIDS_-
_Video_-_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-Fire.webm.jpg"
/><a href="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/DVIDS_-_Video_-
_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-Fire.webm" title="Play
media" target="new">Play media</a></div> <div class="thumbcaption"><div
class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:DVIDS_-_Video_-
_Coalition_Soldiers_Train_SDF_Commandos_on_Stress-Fire.webm" class="internal"
title="Enlarge"></a></div>U.S. soldiers of the <a href="/wiki/CJTF
%E2%80%93OIR" class="mw-redirect" title="CJTF–OIR">CJTF–OIR</a> coalition
train SDF <a href="/wiki/Commando" title="Commando">commandos</a> in live
stress-fire, mid-July 2019</div></div></div>
<ul><li>In December 2018, U.S. Kurdish allies in Syria discussed the release of 3,200
ISIS prisoners, a prominent monitoring group and a Western official of the anti-
Islamic State coalition said, a day after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of all
American troops from the country. The SDF denied that such talks have taken
place.<a href="#cite_note-
217">[217]</a></li>
<li>In April 2019, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense <a
href="/wiki/Michael_Mulroy" class="mw-redirect" title="Michael Mulroy">Michael
Mulroy</a> stated that the physical caliphate was defeated, but ISIS was not. And
there were over 10,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq, completely unrepentant.[218]</a> He expected the U.S. to be in Syria for the long
haul with a very capable partner in the Syrian Democratic Forces.<a href="#cite_note-
ahvalnews.com-220">[220]</a><a href="#cite_note-ahvalnews.com-
href="#cite_note-221">[221]</a> He said that the U.S. partnership
with the SDF was a model to follow in the future, like the partnership with the <a
href="/wiki/Northern_Alliance" title="Northern Alliance">Northern Alliance</a> in
Afghanistan to defeat the <a href="/wiki/Taliban" title="Taliban">Taliban</a> and
with the <a href="/wiki/Kurdish_Peshmerga" class="mw-redirect" title="Kurdish
Peshmerga">Kurdish Peshmerga</a> in Iraq as the northern front against <a
href="/wiki/Saddam_Hussein" title="Saddam Hussein">Saddam Hussein</a>.[222]</a></li>
<li>On 7 October 2019, <a href="/wiki/President_of_the_United_States"
title="President of the United States">President of the United States</a> and Chief of
the US Military <a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">Donald
Trump</a> announced that the US would be withdrawing all troops stationed at the
border of <a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a> currently in cooperation
with the SDF.<a href="#cite_note-
223">[223]</a> This has led to fears of a possible re-emergence of
<a href="/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant" title="Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant">Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant</a> due to SDF-controlled ISIS
prisons<a href="#cite_note-
href="#cite_note-225">[225]</a> and possible restoration of
fighting in the <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Syrian
Civil War">Syrian Civil War</a>,<a
href="#cite_note-226">[226]</a> with current conflict being limited
in the Syrian Civil War.<a
<li>On October 26, 2019 U.S. <a href="/wiki/Joint_Special_Operations_Command"
title="Joint Special Operations Command">Joint Special Operations Command</a>
(JSOC) conducted <a href="/wiki/Barisha_raid" class="mw-redirect" title="Barisha
raid">a raid</a> into the <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Salvation_Government" title="Syrian
Salvation Government">rebel</a>-held <a href="/wiki/Idlib_province" class="mw-
redirect" title="Idlib province">Idlib province</a> of Syria on the border with Turkey
that resulted in the death of brahim Awad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai also known
as <a href="/wiki/Ab%C5%AB_Bakr_al-Baghdadi" class="mw-redirect" title="Abū
Bakr al-Baghdadi">Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi</a>.[229]</a> The raid was launched based on a <a
href="/wiki/CIA" class="mw-redirect" title="CIA">CIA</a> intelligence effort that
located the leader of ISIS. This complex operations was conducted during the
withdrawal of U.S. forces northeast Syria, adding to the complexity.[231]</a> Several senior officials commented that this
operation was only possible because of the presence of troops on the ground allowing
for the development of intelligence networks. Any further reduction in troop presence
could compromise this capability. The Syrian Democratic Forces and the Iraqi military
also support the operation. The U.S. stated they deconflicted with Turkey, but they did
not support the operation.<a
<h2>Reported internal conflict
between SDF factions[<a href="/w/index.php?
section: Reported internal conflict between SDF factions">edit</a>]</h2>
<ul><li>In November 2015, <a href="/wiki/Liwa_Thuwar_al-Raqqa" title="Liwa
Thuwar al-Raqqa">Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa</a> merged with the Tribal Army to form
<a href="/wiki/Jabhat_Thuwar_al-Raqqa" class="mw-redirect" title="Jabhat Thuwar
al-Raqqa">Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa</a> to become part of the SDF. After some
tensions between the group and the <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Protection_Units"
title="People's Protection Units">People's Protection Units</a> (YPG), on 6
January 2016 the group reportedly issued a statement stating it was disbanding.[233]</a> Later the same month, some sources stated that the
Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa reappeared, announcing it had decided to rejoin the SDF.[234]</a></li>
<li>Turkey has at various times tried and failed to incite tensions along ethnic lines
within the SDF.<a
href="#cite_note-Tastekin-22">[22]</a> At the height of one such
attempts after the start of the summer 2016 <a href="/wiki/Manbij_offensive"
title="Manbij offensive">Manbij offensive</a>, Sheikh Farouk al-Mashi, an ethnic
Arab former member of the Syrian parliament and designated co-chairman of the
Manbij City Council, stated: "I have a Syrian ID, and Kurds have a Syrian ID. Let
those people who talk against us in Turkey and Europe come here and fight ISIS. Why
this distortion in media about problems between Kurds and Arabs?" Ethnic Kurdish
fellow co-chairman Salih Haji Mohammed stated: "In our social contract, we say we
want to have good relations with neighboring countries like Turkey. Any country that
does not interfere in Manbij and our areas, we will have good relations with."<a href="#cite_note-auto-
235">[235]</a> A fighter gave his perspective as "we have Arabs,
Kurds, nobody knows how many exactly, we all work under the SDF-forces".[236]</a></li>
<li>In September 2016, during the <a
href="/wiki/Turkish_military_intervention_in_the_Syrian_Civil_War" class="mw-
redirect" title="Turkish military intervention in the Syrian Civil War">Turkish military
intervention in the Syrian Civil War</a>, the leader of small SDF component group <a
href="/wiki/Liwa_al-Tahrir" class="mw-redirect" title="Liwa al-Tahrir">Liwa al-
Tahrir</a>, Abdul Karim Obeid, defected to the camp of Turkish-backed rebels with
20 to 100 of his men, citing opposition to reported YPG domination of the SDF, while
SDF sources suggested he was displeased with the civil administration of the
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria replacing warlordist political rule
in the <a href="/wiki/Free_Syrian_Army" title="Free Syrian Army">Free Syrian
Army</a> style. The remaining fighters stayed with the SDF.<a href="#cite_note-Tastekin-
22">[22]</a></li>
<li>Also, in September 2016, during the Turkish military intervention, some Arab
sources reported that Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqa clashed with the YPG,<a href="#cite_note-Jarabulus-
23">[23]</a> however two days later the Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqa's
commander said that news about the clashes and defections were false, he denied that
such clashes had ever happened.<a
<li>In mid-November 2016, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa's political bureau, which has
strong connections with Turkey, condemned the SDF's <a
href="/wiki/Northern_Raqqa_offensive_(November_2016)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Northern Raqqa offensive (November 2016)">Raqqa offensive</a> led by the
YPG. This caused tensions between the group's political bureau, who opposes the
YPG, and the overall leader and military commander of Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, Abu
Issa, who is allied with the YPG. Some members of Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa left the
group and joined the SDF's <a href="/wiki/Liwa_Ahrar_al-Raqqa" class="mw-
redirect" title="Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqa">Liwa Ahrar al-Raqqa</a>, in response to the
tensions.</li>
<li>On 10 December 2016, the second phase of the <a
href="/wiki/Northern_Raqqa_offensive_(November%E2%80%93December_2016)"
class="mw-redirect" title="Northern Raqqa offensive (November–December
2016)">Northern al-Raqqa</a> campaign was announced, with <a
href="/wiki/Jabhat_Thuwar_al-Raqqa" class="mw-redirect" title="Jabhat Thuwar al-
Raqqa">Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa</a> participating under the SDF. 2 weeks later, the
<a href="/wiki/Raqqa_Hawks_Brigade" title="Raqqa Hawks Brigade">Raqqa Hawks
Brigade</a> reportedly captured several Thuwar al-Raqqa military commanders and
forced them to announce their defection. On 27 December, the commanders declared
on video that they are still with Thuwar al-Raqqa.<a href="#cite_note-238">[238]</a> On 20
February 2017, one sub-commander of the <a href="/wiki/Raqqa_Hawks_Brigade"
title="Raqqa Hawks Brigade">Raqqa Hawks Brigade</a>, Abu Yamen al-Meko, who
reportedly had strong links to the <a
href="/wiki/Military_Intelligence_Directorate_(Syria)" title="Military Intelligence
Directorate (Syria)">Military Intelligence Directorate</a>, declared his loyalty to <a
href="/wiki/Bashar_al-Assad" title="Bashar al-Assad">Bashar al-Assad</a> and
formed the pro-government unit "Tajamou al-Shamal". His followers consequently
raised the <a href="/wiki/Flag_of_Syria#Flag_used_by_the_Assad_government"
title="Flag of Syria">Ba'athist flag</a> at their headquarters in the village of al-Fares.
These actions, however, provoked the ire of Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, which launched
a surprise attack on al-Fares two days later and destroyed al-Meko's faction, killing or
capturing its members. Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa went on to declare that it "would
never allow the regime and its supporting militia to re-enter the city [of Raqqa] by any
means".<a href="#cite_note-
attacks-239">[239]</a><a href="#cite_note-assaults-
240">[240]</a></li>
<li>On 10 April 2017, a spokesman for the <a href="/wiki/Elite_Forces_(Syria)"
class="mw-redirect" title="Elite Forces (Syria)">Elite Forces</a> stated that the group
is not part of the SDF, will cooperate with both the SDF and <a
href="/wiki/Rojava_Peshmerga" class="mw-redirect" title="Rojava
Peshmerga">Rojava Peshmerga</a> to capture Deir ez-Zor, and rejected <a
href="/wiki/Federalism" title="Federalism">federalism</a>.<a href="#cite_note-241">[241]</a> On 15
April, this statement was denied by Muhammad Khalid Shakir, the official spokesman
of the Elite Forces. He denied any disagreements between the Elite Forces and the
SDF and said that "We are in the framework of the international coalition. The
leadership of the coalition manages the operations on the ground. Our troops did not
withdraw. We have completed the third phase of the <a
href="/wiki/Raqqa_campaign_(2016%E2%80%93present)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Raqqa campaign (2016–present)">Wrath of Euphrates Operation</a>, and we
will participate in all stages until Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor are freed."On 28 September 2017, Yasser al-Dahla, commander of the Gathering of <a
href="/wiki/Al-Baggara" title="Al-Baggara">al-Baggara</a> Youth, part of the SDF's
<a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces_military_councils#Deir_ez-Zor"
title="Syrian Democratic Forces military councils">Deir ez-Zor Military Council</a>,
was arrested by SDF <a href="/wiki/Military_police" title="Military police">military
police</a>, which said Dahla was effectively participating in the SDF's <a
href="/wiki/Deir_ez-Zor_offensive_(September_2017%E2%80%93present)"
class="mw-redirect" title="Deir ez-Zor offensive (September 2017–present)">Deir ez-
Zor offensive</a> and the "lack of <a href="/wiki/Military_discipline" class="mw-
redirect" title="Military discipline">military discipline</a>". The Gathering of <a
href="/wiki/Al-Baggara" title="Al-Baggara">al-Baggara</a> Youth denied these
charges, and said the Deir ez-Zor Military Council was denying <a
Army">Euphrates Shield</a> fighters who defected to the SDF to join the Gathering.
Dahla reportedly threatened to cease his group's participation in the Deir ez-Zor
offensive.<a href="#cite_note-
243">[243]</a></li>
<li>On 15 November 2017, <a href="/wiki/Talal_Silo" title="Talal Silo">Talal
Silo</a>, surrendered or defected to the Turkish Army. The nature of his leaving the
SDF being up for dispute.<a href="#cite_note-reut.rs_2munX7b-
163">[163]</a><a href="#cite_note-sdf-press_2017-11-
164">[164]</a><a href="#cite_note-rudaw_151120171-
165">[165]</a></li>
<li>On 20 December 2017, <a href="/wiki/Hussam_Awak" title="Hussam
Awak">Hussam Awak</a> announced his resignation from the SDF on his <a
href="/wiki/Facebook" title="Facebook">Facebook</a> page without providing any
reasons.<a
href="#cite_note-baladi-news_25944-14">[14]</a></li>
<li>In May 2018, tensions began to build up between members of Arab tribes,
including Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa, and the rest of the SDF and the <a
href="/wiki/Raqqa_Internal_Security_Forces" title="Raqqa Internal Security
Forces">Raqqa Internal Security Forces</a> over recruitment issues in Raqqa. A
curfew was put in place in both Raqqa city and the rest of the governorate on 23 June,
as the SDF and RISF besieged Thuwar al-Raqqa's headquarters and arrested between
90<a href="#cite_note-
244">[244]</a> and 200 of its members the next day.[245]</a> By 25 June, the SDF and RISF captured all of
Thuwar al-Raqqa fighters and their weapons in Raqqa, completely defeating the group,
and the curfew was ended.<a
href="#cite_note-246">[246]</a> Following Liwa Thuwar al-
Raqqa's defeat by the SDF and RISF, Abu Issa met with tribal leaders and SDF
officials to discuss surrender and reconciliation. He was reportedly offered a position
in the SDF general command.<a
href="#cite_note-247">[247]</a> Abu Issa would later go on to
deny he was ever arrested by the SDF or the RISF.<a href="#cite_note-248">[248]</a></li></ul>
<h2>Alleged war
crimesedit</a>See also: <a
href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_Democratic_Federation_of_Northern_Syria#DFNS
-associated_militias" class="mw-redirect" title="Human rights in the Democratic
Federation of Northern Syria">Human rights in the Democratic Federation of Northern
Syria § DFNS-associated militias</a>, and <a href="/wiki/People
%27s_Protection_Units#Allegations_concerning_violations_of_international_law"
title="People's Protection Units">People's Protection Units § Allegations
concerning violations of international law</a></div>
href="/wiki/File:Bar%C4%B1%C5%9F_P%C4%B1nar%C4%B1_harek%C3%A2t
%C4%B1_sonras%C4%B1_Kam%C4%B1%C5%9Fl%C4%B1%27da_yaraland
%C4%B1ktan_sonra_bir_aya%C4%9F%C4%B1_kesilen_di%C4%9Fer_aya%C4%9F
%C4%B1_da_k%C4%B1r%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg"
src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Bar
%C4%B1%C5%9F_P%C4%B1nar%C4%B1_harek%C3%A2t%C4%B1_sonras
%C4%B1_Kam%C4%B1%C5%9Fl%C4%B1%27da_yaraland
%C4%B1_da_k%C4%B1r%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F
%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg/220px-Bar%C4%B1%C5%9F_P%C4%B1nar
%C4%B1_harek%C3%A2t%C4%B1_sonras%C4%B1_Kam%C4%B1%C5%9Fl
%C4%B1%27da_yaraland%C4%B1ktan_sonra_bir_aya%C4%9F
%C4%B1_kesilen_di%C4%9Fer_aya%C4%9F%C4%B1_da_k%C4%B1r
%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg" decoding="async"
srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Bar
%C4%B1_da_k%C4%B1r%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F
%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg/330px-Bar%C4%B1%C5%9F_P%C4%B1nar
%C4%B1_harek%C3%A2t%C4%B1_sonras%C4%B1_Kam%C4%B1%C5%9Fl
%C4%B1%27da_yaraland%C4%B1ktan_sonra_bir_aya%C4%9F
%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg 1.5x,
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Bar%C4%B1%C5%9F_P
%C4%B1nar%C4%B1_harek%C3%A2t%C4%B1_sonras%C4%B1_Kam
%C4%B1%C5%9Fl%C4%B1%27da_yaraland%C4%B1ktan_sonra_bir_aya%C4%9F
%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg/440px-Bar
%C4%B1_da_k%C4%B1r%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg 2x"
data-file-width="5479" data-file-height="3545" /></a> <div
class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Bar
%C4%B1_da_k%C4%B1r%C4%B1lan_8_ya%C5%9F%C4%B1ndaki_Sarah.jpg"
class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>A girl from the Syrian city of <a
href="/wiki/Qamishli" title="Qamishli">Qamishli</a> who lost her leg during the <a
href="/wiki/2019_Turkish_offensive_into_north-eastern_Syria" title="2019 Turkish
offensive into north-eastern Syria">Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria</a> in
October 2019</div></div></div>
On 15 March 2017, a video surfaced that showed members of the Northern Sun
Battalion reportedly torturing an ISIL fighter, who had been captured while planting
mines. One of these mines had reportedly killed nine fighters of the battalion, leading
five others to take revenge on the ISIL militant. The Manbij Military Council
condemned the act, and announced that the involved Northern Sun Battalion fighters
would be held for trial for violating the <a href="/wiki/Geneva_Conventions"
title="Geneva Conventions">Geneva Conventions</a>.[250]</a> The five accused were arrested on 17 March.[251]</a>

<h3>Ethnic cleansing and forced
displacementedit</a>]</h3>
In June 2015 the Turkish government and <a href="/wiki/Amnesty_International"
title="Amnesty International">Amnesty International</a> reported that the YPG was
carrying out an ethnic cleansing of non-Kurdish populations as part of a plan to join
the <a href="/wiki/Jazira_Region" title="Jazira Region">Jazira</a> and <a
href="/wiki/Euphrates_Region" title="Euphrates Region">Euphrates</a> regions into
a single territory.<a href="#cite_note-
252">[252]</a>
The <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State" title="United States
Department of State">U.S. State Department</a> reacted by stating they would
'scrutinise' Amnesty International's accusations.<a href="#cite_note-Rudaw.net-253">[253]</a>
The U.S. State Department stated it had to determine if there was "any veracity to the
claims", but showed concern by calling for any administrator in the area to rule "with
respect for all groups regardless of ethnicity". The report makes accusations of looting,
coercing civilians to join their armed forces and the forced targeted displacement of
1400 families in the <a href="/wiki/Syrian_Turkmen#By_the_YPG" title="Syrian
Turkmen">Turkman villages of Hammam al-Turkman</a>, 800 Turkmen from Mela
Berho and <a href="/wiki/Suluk,_Syria" title="Suluk, Syria">Suluk</a> residents. The
report offers unnamed witness testimony from reported victims, cross referenced with
photo and video evidence, media reports, and satellite imagery to substantiate these
reports.<a href="#cite_note-
amnesty-254">[254]</a>
In a report published by the <a href="/wiki/United_Nations" title="United
Nations">United Nations</a>' <a
href="/wiki/Independent_International_Commission_of_Inquiry_on_the_Syrian_Arab
_Republic" title="Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian
Arab Republic">Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab
Republic</a> on 10 March 2017, the Commission refuted Amnesty International's
reports of ethnic cleansing, stating that "'though allegations of 'ethnic cleansing'
continued to be received during the period under review, the Commission found no
evidence to substantiate reports that YPG or SDF forces ever targeted Arab
communities on the basis of ethnicity".<a
href="#cite_note-255">[255]</a><a href="#cite_note-
UN_report_counters-256">[256]</a><a href="#cite_note-refutes-257">[257]</a>
In interviews, YPG spokespersons acknowledged that a number of families
were in fact displaced. However, they placed the number at no more than 25,[258]</a> and stated military necessity. 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.<a href="#cite_note-amnesty-
254">[254]</a> They further reported that ISIL was using civilians
in those areas to plant car bombs or carry out other attacks on the YPG.<a href="#cite_note-amnesty-
254">[254]</a>

<h3>Recruitment of
minorsedit</a>In June 2014, <a href="/wiki/Human_Rights_Watch" title="Human Rights
Watch">Human Rights Watch</a> criticized the YPG for accepting minors into their
ranks,<a href="#cite_note-
259">[259]</a> picking up on multiple earlier reports of teenage
fighters serving in the YPG, with a report by the <a href="/wiki/United_Nations"
title="United Nations">United Nations</a> <a href="/wiki/Secretary-
General_of_the_United_Nations" title="Secretary-General of the United
Nations">Secretary General</a> stating that 24 minors under age of 18 had been
recruited by YPG, with 124 having been recruited by the Free Syrian Army and 5 by
the Syrian Arab Army.<a
href="#cite_note-children-260">[260]</a> In response, the YPG and
YPJ signed the <a href="/wiki/Geneva_Call" title="Geneva Call">Geneva Call</a>
Deed of Commitment protecting children in armed conflict, prohibiting sexual
violence and against gender discrimination in July 2014,<a href="#cite_note-261">[261]</a> and Kurdish
security forces (YPG and <a href="/wiki/Asayish_(Syria)" class="mw-redirect"
title="Asayish (Syria)">Asayish</a>) began receiving human rights training from <a
href="/wiki/Geneva_Call" title="Geneva Call">Geneva Call</a> 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.<a href="#cite_note-
href="#cite_note-263">[263]</a> In October 2015 the YPG
demobilized 21 minors from the military service in its ranks.<a href="#cite_note-
Demobilized_children-264">[264]</a>
In response to reports issued by international organisations such as Human
Rights Watch,<a href="#cite_note-
265">[265]</a> the general command of the SDF issued a military
order prohibiting the recruitment of children.<a href="#cite_note-266">[266]</a> On 29 June
2019 Abdi, as representative of the SDF, signed the action plan of the <a
href="/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a> aiming to
prevent the enlistment of child soldiers in the armed forces. The action plan was signed
to address the inclusion of the YPG in the SDF.
<h2>See alsoedit</a><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_armed_groups_in_the_Syrian_Civil_War"
class="mw-redirect" title="List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War">List of
armed groups in the Syrian Civil War</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/The_Medal_for_the_Martyrs" title="The Medal for the
Martyrs">The Medal for the Martyrs</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Council" title="Syrian Democratic
Council">Syrian Democratic Council</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Movement_for_a_Democratic_Society" title="Movement for a
Democratic Society">Movement for a Democratic Society</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Democratic_Union_Party_(Syria)" title="Democratic Union Party
(Syria)">Democratic Union Party (Syria)</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Federalization_of_Syria" title="Federalization of
Syria">Federalization of Syria</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Rojava_conflict" title="Rojava conflict">Rojava conflict</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Autonomous_Administration_of_North_and_East_Syria"
Syria">Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_North_and_East_Syria" class="mw-redirect"
title="Foreign relations of North and East Syria">Foreign relations of North and East
Syria</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/DFNS%E2%80%93Syrian_government_relations" class="mw-
redirect" title="DFNS–Syrian government relations">Relations with the Syrian
government</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/YPG%E2%80%93FSA_relations" title="YPG–FSA
relations">YPG–FSA relations</a></li></ul>
<h2>Referencesedit</a>
<ol class="references">
<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarp201749-1"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHarp201749_1-0">^</a>
<a href="#CITEREFHarp2017">Harp (2017)</a>,
p. 49.
sfnp error: no target: CITEREFHarp2017 (<a
href="/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors" title="Category:Harv and Sfn
template errors">help</a>)
</li>
<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="#cite_ref-
2">^</a> <cite
id="CITEREFTonacci2016" class="citation news">Tonacci, Fabio (29 December
2016). "La brigata degli italiani con i curdi verso Raqqa: "Ma a casa non sanno che qui
combattiamo"". <a
href="/wiki/La_Repubblica" title="La Repubblica">la Repubblica</a> (in Italian).
<a href="/wiki/Rome" title="Rome">Rome</a>. p. 8.</cite><span
title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=la+Repubblica&rft.atitle=La+
brigata+degli+italiani+con+i+curdi+verso+Raqqa%3A+
%22Ma+a+casa+non+sanno+che+qui+combattiamo
%22&rft.pages=8&rft.date=2016-12-
29&rft.aulast=Tonacci&rft.aufirst=Fabio&rfr_id=info%3Asid
%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces" class="Z3988"><style
data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r951705291">.mw-parser-output
cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation
q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation
.cs1-lock-free a{background-
image:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-
green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png");background-image:linear-
gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6
5/Lock-green.svg");background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:9px;background-
position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-
lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output
.citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background-
image:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-
2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png");background-image:linear-
gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d
6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg");background-repeat:no-repeat;background-
size:9px;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-
subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background-
image:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-
2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png");background-image:linear-
gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa
/Lock-red-alt-2.svg");background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:9px;background-
position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output
.cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-
output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output
.cs1-ws-icon a{background-
image:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-
logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png");background-image:linear-
gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c
/Wikisource-logo.svg");background-repeat:no-repeat;background-
size:12px;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-
code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-
output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-
error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-
maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-
subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-
size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-
left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-
kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-
weight:inherit}</style>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-ReferenceA-3">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA_3-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA_3-1">b</a> <cite class="citation web"><a rel="nofollow" class="external
text" href="http://www.hawarnews.com/en/haber/part-of-1st-military-regiment-of-
special-forces-in-al-tabqa-h2880.html">"Part of 1st military regiment of Special
Forces in al-Tabqa - ANHA | Ajansa Nûçeyan a Hawar"</a>. hawarnews.com.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180801190447/http://www.hawarnews.com/en/h
aber/part-of-1st-military-regiment-of-special-forces-in-al-tabqa-
h2880.html">Archived</a> from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August
2018.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=hawarnews.com&rft.atitle=
Part+of+1st+military+regiment+of+Special+Forces+in+al-Tabqa+-+ANHA+
%7C+Ajansa+N%C3%BB%C3%A7eyan+a+Hawar&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.hawarnews.com%2Fen%2Fhaber%2Fpart-of-1st-military-regiment-of-
special-forces-in-al-tabqa-h2880.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces" class="Z3988"><link rel="mw-
deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r951705291"/>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-dvidshub.net-4">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-dvidshub.net_4-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-dvidshub.net_4-1">b</a> "Syrian Democratic Forces Update"</a>. DVIDS. <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180720022434/https://www.dvidshub.net/video/6
14109/syrian-democratic-forces-update">Archived</a> from the original on 20 July
2018. Retrieved 19
July 2018.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=DVIDS&rft.atitle=Syrian+
Democratic+Forces+Update&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dvidshub.net
%2Fvideo%2F614109%2Fsyrian-democratic-forces-update&rfr_id=info%3Asid
%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces" class="Z3988"><link
rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-
data:TemplateStyles:r951705291"/>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-aina.org-5"><a
href="#cite_ref-aina.org_5-0">^</a> <cite
class="citation web"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://aina.org/news/20151219152717.htm">"Assyrian Female Fighters Joined
Battlefronts Against ISIS in Northeastern Syria"</a>. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160630094344/http://aina.org/news/2015121915
2717.htm">Archived</a> from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Assyrian+Female+Fighters+Joine
d+Battlefronts+Against+ISIS+in+Northeastern+Syria&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Faina.org%2Fnews%2F20151219152717.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-links.org.au-6"><a
href="#cite_ref-links.org.au_6-0">^</a> <cite class="citation web"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://links.org.au/node/4503">"The revolutionaries of Bethnahrin: cooperation
between Christians and Kurds – Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal"</a>.
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160515125633/http://links.org.au/node/4503">Ar
chived</a> from the original on 15 May 2016.
Retrieved 19 June 2016.</cite><span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+revolutionaries+of+Bethnahr
in%3A+cooperation+between+Christians+and+Kurds+
%E2%80%93+Links+International+Journal+of+Socialist+Renewal&rft_id=http
%3A%2F%2Flinks.org.au%2Fnode%2F4503&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-seek-7">^ <a href="#cite_ref-
seek_7-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-seek_7-
1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-seek_7-
2">c</a> <cite
href="https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/25221.html">"Assyrians seek self-management
in Hasaka over deal with PYD"</a>. Zaman al-Wasl. 13 April 2017. <a
rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170805222012/https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/2
5221.html">Archived</a> from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 14 April
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Zaman+al-
Wasl&rft.atitle=Assyrians+seek+self-
management+in+Hasaka+over+deal+with+PYD&rft.date=2017-04-
13&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fen.zamanalwsl.net%2Fnews
%2F25221.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-armeniansdfforce-8">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-armeniansdfforce_8-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-armeniansdfforce_8-1">b</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-armeniansdfforce_8-2">c</a>
<cite class="citation web"><a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="https://anfenglishmobile.com/rojava-syria/armenian-
fighters-promise-to-fight-perpetrators-of-genocide-34533">"Armenian fighters
promise to "fight perpetrators of genocide""</a>. ANF News. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191021184003/https://anfenglishmobile.com/roja
va-syria/armenian-fighters-promise-to-fight-perpetrators-of-genocide-
34533">Archived</a> from the original on 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=ANF+News&rft.atitle=Ar
menian+fighters+promise+to+%22fight+perpetrators+of+genocide
%22&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fanfenglishmobile.com%2Frojava-syria
%2Farmenian-fighters-promise-to-fight-perpetrators-of-genocide-
34533&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Shammar-9">^ <a href="#cite_ref-
Shammar_9-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Shammar_9-
1">b</a> <cite
id="CITEREFUnited_Nations_High_Commissioner_for_Refugees" class="citation
web">United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. <a rel="nofollow"
href="http://www.refworld.org/docid/52aef0e34.html">"Refworld – Kurdish Strategy
Towards Ethnically-Mixed Areas in the Syrian Conflict"</a>. Refworld. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160324012016/http://www.refworld.org/docid/52
aef0e34.html">Archived</a> from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 2 April
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Refworld&rft.atitle=Refwo
rld+%E2%80%93+Kurdish+Strategy+Towards+Ethnically-
Mixed+Areas+in+the+Syrian+Conflict&rft.au=United+Nations+High+Commissi
oner+for+Refugees&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.refworld.org%2Fdocid
%2F52aef0e34.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Shaitat1-10">^ <a href="#cite_ref-
Shaitat1_10-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Shaitat1_10-
class="citation news"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://aranews.net/2016/06/kurdish-led-sdf-attracts-arab-fighters-syrias-deir-ez-
zor-amid-growing-anti-isis-campaign/">"Kurdish-led SDF attracts more Arab fighters
in Syria's Deir ez-Zor amid growing anti-ISIS campaign"</a>. ARA News. 24 June
2016. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160625133926/http://aranews.net/2016/06/kurdis
h-led-sdf-attracts-arab-fighters-syrias-deir-ez-zor-amid-growing-anti-isis-
campaign/">Archived</a> from the original on 25 June 2016<span class="reference-
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Kurdish-
led+SDF+attracts+more+Arab+fighters+in+Syria%27s+Deir+ez-
Zor+amid+growing+anti-ISIS+campaign&rft.date=2016-06-24&rft_id=http
%3A%2F%2Faranews.net%2F2016%2F06%2Fkurdish-led-sdf-attracts-arab-fighters-
syrias-deir-ez-zor-amid-growing-anti-isis-campaign%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Shaitat2-11">^ <a href="#cite_ref-
Shaitat2_11-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Shaitat2_11-
href="https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/13416.html">"400 Sheitat tribesmen joined
U.S.-backed alliance to fight ISIS: sources"</a>. Syria News. 7 January 2016. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171009195642/https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/1
3416.html">Archived</a> from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 10 February
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=400+Sheitat+tribesmen+joined+U
.S.-backed+alliance+to+fight+ISIS
%3A+sources&rft.pub=Syria+News&rft.date=2016-01-
07&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fen.zamanalwsl.net%2Fnews
</li>
<li id="cite_note-auto1-12"><a href="#cite_ref-
auto1_12-0">^</a> <cite class="citation
web"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160531055656/http://www.agathocledesyracuse.
com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hasakah-28-April-2016.jpg">"South Hasakah/North
Deir Ezzor situation on April 28, 2016"</a>. agathocledesyracuse.com. 28
April 2016. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://www.agathocledesyracuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hasakah-28-
April-2016.jpg">the original</a> on 31 May 2016.</cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=agathocledesyracuse.com&
rft.atitle=South+Hasakah
%2FNorth+Deir+Ezzor+situation+on+April+28%2C+2016&rft.date=2016-04-
28&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agathocledesyracuse.com%2Fwp-content
%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F04%2FHasakah-28-April-2016.jpg&rfr_id=info
%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces"
class="Z3988"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-
data:TemplateStyles:r951705291"/> <cite id="CITEREFSzakola" class="citation
web">Szakola, Albin. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/NewsReports/567033-new-rebel-force-battling-
isis-in-northeast-syria">"New rebel force battling ISIS in northeast Syria"</a>. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160527154651/https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/Ne
wsReports/567033-new-rebel-force-battling-isis-in-northeast-syria">Archived</a>
from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved
19 June 2016.</cite><span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=New+rebel+force+battling+ISIS+
in+northeast+Syria&rft.aulast=Szakola&rft.aufirst=Albin&rft_id=https
%3A%2F%2Fnow.mmedia.me%2Flb%2Fen%2FNewsReports%2F567033-new-rebel-
force-battling-isis-in-northeast-syria&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
13">^</a> <cite class="citation web"><a
href="http://elaph.com/Web/News/2017/3/1140180.html">" ‫قوات النخبة السورية تدخل مدينة‬
‫<"الكرامة معقل داعش‬/a>. 26 March 2017. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170328195626/http://elaph.com/Web/News/2017
/3/1140180.html">Archived</a> from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=
%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AE
%D8%A8%D8%A9+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A
%D8%A9+%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%AE%D9%84+%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A
%D9%86%D8%A9+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A9+
%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%82%D9%84+%D8%AF
%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B4&rft.date=2017-03-26&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Felaph.com%2FWeb%2FNews
%2F2017%2F3%2F1140180.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-baladi-news_25944-14">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-baladi-news_25944_14-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-baladi-news_25944_14-1">b</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-baladi-news_25944_14-
2">c</a> <cite
id="CITEREFSultan" class="citation web">Sultan, Kanan. <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="https://www.baladi-
news.com/ar/news/details/25944"><bdi lang="ar"> ‫ حسام العواك‬.."‫بعد تبنيه’ خارطة "روج آفا‬
‫ شبكة بلدي اإلعالمية‬- "‫<يعلن استقالته من "قسد‬/bdi></a>. baladi-news.com (in Arabic).
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171221151345/https://www.baladi-
news.com/ar/news/details/25944/">Archived</a> from the original on 21 December
December 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=baladi-
news.com&rft.atitle=%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF+%D8%AA
%D8%A8%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%87+%D8%AE
%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B7%D8%A9+%22%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AC+
%D8%A2%D9%81%D8%A7%22..+%D8%AD%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%85+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%83+%D9%8A
%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86+%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%87+%D9%85%D9%86+
%22%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF%22+-+%D8%B4%D8%A8%D9%83%D8%A9+
%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A
%D8%A9&rft.aulast=Sultan&rft.aufirst=Kanan&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.baladi-news.com%2Far%2Fnews%2Fdetails%2F25944&rfr_id=info
</li>
<li id="cite_note-ARA_News-15">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-ARA_News_15-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-ARA_News_15-1">b</a> "Hundreds of Syrian rebels join the pro-Kurdish SDF alliance"</a>.
ARA News. 14 October 2016. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161209220325/http://aranews.net/2016/10/hundr
eds-syrian-rebels-join-kurdish-arab-alliance-sdf/">Archived</a> from the original on
9 December 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2016.</cite><span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Hundreds+of+Syrian+rebels+join
+the+pro-Kurdish+SDF+alliance&rft.pub=ARA+News&rft.date=2016-10-
14&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Faranews.net%2F2016%2F10%2Fhundreds-syrian-
rebels-join-kurdish-arab-alliance-sdf%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Ajansa_Nûçeyan_a_Firatê-16">^
<a href="#cite_ref-Ajansa_Nûçeyan_a_Firatê_16-
0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-
Ajansa_Nûçeyan_a_Firatê_16-1">b</a> "Ajansa Nûçeyan a
Firatê"</a>. ANF. 13 October 2016. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external
text" href="http://www.anfenglish.com/kurdistan/colonel-hossam-alawak-leaves-the-
fsa-and-joins-the-sdf">the original</a> on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 4 December
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Ajansa+N%C3%BB
%C3%A7eyan+a+Firat%C3%AA&rft.pub=ANF&rft.date=2016-10-
13&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anfenglish.com%2Fkurdistan%2Fcolonel-
hossam-alawak-leaves-the-fsa-and-joins-the-sdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150402233938/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/t
he-battle-for-syrias-al-hasakah-province">"The Battle for Syria's Al-Hasakah
Province"</a>. Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. Archived from <a
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-battle-
for-syrias-al-hasakah-province">the original</a> on 2 April 2015.</cite><span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Battle+for+Syria%27s+Al-
Hasakah+Province&rft.pub=Combating+Terrorism+Center+at+West+Point&amp
;rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ctc.usma.edu%2Fposts%2Fthe-battle-for-syrias-al-
hasakah-province&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
18">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFHeras"
class="citation web">Heras, Nicholas. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150402233938/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/t
he-battle-for-syrias-al-hasakah-province">"The battle for Syria's al-Hasakah
province"</a>. Combating Terrorism Center. Archived from <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-battle-for-syrias-al-
hasakah-province">the original</a> on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 February
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+battle+for+Syria%27s+al-
Hasakah+province&rft.pub=Combating+Terrorism+Center&rft.aulast=Hera
s&rft.aufirst=Nicholas&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ctc.usma.edu
%2Fposts%2Fthe-battle-for-syrias-al-hasakah-province&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-auto2-19">^ <a href="#cite_ref-
auto2_19-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-auto2_19-
href="https://www.enabbaladi.net/archives/118260">""‫ عنب بلدي‬- ‫<"قسد" تعقد اجتماعًا في مدينة الحسكة لكافة فصائلها‬/a>. 8 December
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161220073333/https://www.enabbaladi.net/archi
ves/118260">Archived</a> from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December
%22%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF%22+%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%82%D8%AF+
%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8B%D8%A7+
%D9%81%D9%8A+%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%A9+
%D9%84%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A9+
%D9%81%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84%D9%87%D8%A7+-+
%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%A8+%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF
%D9%8A&rft.date=2016-12-08&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.enabbaladi.net%2Farchives%2F118260&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-female-20">^ <a href="#cite_ref-
female_20-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-female_20-
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170710080937/http://en.hawarnews.com/sdf-
about-forming-first-arab-all-female-brigade/">"SDF about forming first Arab all-
female brigade – ANHA"</a>. en.hawarnews.com. Archived from <a
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.hawarnews.com/sdf-about-
forming-first-arab-all-female-brigade/">the original</a> on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=en.hawarnews.com&rft.atitl
e=SDF+about+forming+first+Arab+all-female+brigade+
%E2%80%93+ANHA&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.hawarnews.com%2Fsdf-
about-forming-first-arab-all-female-brigade%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-aranews.net1-21">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-aranews.net1_21-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-aranews.net1_21-1">b</a>
class="external text" href="http://aranews.net/2017/07/sdf-creates-female-arab-
battalion-eastern-syria-fight-patriarchy-isis/">"SDF creates female Arab battalion in
eastern Syria to fight patriarchy and ISIS – ARA News"</a>. 11 July 2017. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170713213958/http://aranews.net/2017/07/sdf-
creates-female-arab-battalion-eastern-syria-fight-patriarchy-isis/">Archived</a> from
the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=SDF+creates+female+Arab+battal
ion+in+eastern+Syria+to+fight+patriarchy+and+ISIS+
%E2%80%93+ARA+News&rft.date=2017-07-11&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Faranews.net%2F2017%2F07%2Fsdf-creates-female-arab-battalion-eastern-syria-
fight-patriarchy-isis%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Tastekin-22">^ <a href="#cite_ref-
Tastekin_22-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tastekin_22-
1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tastekin_22-
2">c</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tastekin_22-
3">d</a> <cite
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160909181341/http://www.al-
monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/09/turkey-syria-intervention-wreck-arab-kurdish-
alliance.html">"US backing ensures Arab-Kurd alliance in Syria will survive"</a>.
Al-Monitor. 9 September 2016. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/09/turkey-syria-intervention-
wreck-arab-kurdish-alliance.html">the original</a> on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 9 September
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=US+backing+ensures+Arab-
Kurd+alliance+in+Syria+will+survive&rft.pub=Al-Monitor&rft.date=2016-
09-09&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.al-monitor.com%2Fpulse%2Foriginals
%2F2016%2F09%2Fturkey-syria-intervention-wreck-arab-kurdish-
alliance.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Jarabulus-23">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-Jarabulus_23-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-Jarabulus_23-1">b</a> <span
text" href="http://www.baladi-
news.com/ar/news/details/9855/%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1_
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1_%D9%8A
%D8%B5%D9%84_%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%B3_
%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF_
%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B4%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%87_
%D8%B9%D9%86_%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF">"Liberation Brigade defected in
Jarabulus"</a>. Baladi News. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160905163100/http://baladi-
news.com/ar/news/details/9855/%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1_
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1_%D9%8A
%D8%B5%D9%84_%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%B3_
%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF_
%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B4%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%87_
%D8%B9%D9%86_%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF">Archived</a> from the original
on 5 September 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.</cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Baladi+News&rft.atitle=Li
beration+Brigade+defected+in+Jarabulus&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baladi-
news.com%2Far%2Fnews%2Fdetails%2F9855%2F
%25D9%2584%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A1_
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25AA%25D8%25AD
%25D8%25B1%25D9%258A%25D8%25B1_%25D9%258A
%25D8%25B5%25D9%2584_%25D8%25AC
%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A8%25D9%2584%25D8%25B3_
%25D8%25A8%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AF_
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25D8%25B4%25D9%2582%25D8%25A7%25D9%2
582%25D9%2587_%25D8%25B9%25D9%2586_
%25D9%2582%25D8%25B3%25D8%25AF&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-afn-24"><a href="#cite_ref-
afn_24-0">^</a> <cite class="citation
web"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://anfenglish.com/news/sdf-
announces-the-launch-of-historic-operation-for-raqqa-20332">"SDF announces the
launch of 'Great Battle' for Raqqa"</a>. ANF News. <a rel="nofollow" class="external
text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170706234355/https://anfenglish.com/news/sdf-
announces-the-launch-of-historic-operation-for-raqqa-20332">Archived</a> from the
original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=SDF+announces+the+launch+of+
%27Great+Battle%27+for+Raqqa&rft.pub=ANF+News&rft_id=https%3A
%2F%2Fanfenglish.com%2Fnews%2Fsdf-announces-the-launch-of-historic-
operation-for-raqqa-20332&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-hawarnews.com1-25">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-hawarnews.com1_25-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-hawarnews.com1_25-1">b</a>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170816171327/http://en.hawarnews.com/fursan-
al-jazira-brigades-join-sdf-ranks/">"Fursan al-Jazîra Brigades join SDF ranks –
ANHA"</a>. en.hawarnews.com. Archived from <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="http://en.hawarnews.com/fursan-al-jazira-brigades-join-
sdf-ranks/">the original</a> on 16 August 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
e=Fursan+al-Jaz%C3%AEra+Brigades+join+SDF+ranks+
%E2%80%93+ANHA&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.hawarnews.com%2Ffursan-
al-jazira-brigades-join-sdf-ranks%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160827181616/http://www.hawarnews.com/
%d8%aa%d8%b4%d9%83%d9%8a%d9%84-%d8%a3%d9%88%d9%84-
%d9%83%d8%aa%d9%8a%d8%a8%d8%a9-
%d8%b9%d8%b3%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-
%d9%84%d9%86%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%a1-
%d9%85%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%b7%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b4/"><bdi
lang="ar">‫<تشكيل أول كتيبة عسكرية لنساء مناطق الشهباء‬/bdi></a> (in Arabic). <a
href="/wiki/Hawar_News_Agency" title="Hawar News Agency">Hawar News
Agency</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://www.hawarnews.com/%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%84-
%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84-%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A9-
%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-
%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A1-
%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4/">the
original</a> on 27 August 2016. Retrieved <span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%D8%AA
%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%84+%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84+
%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A9+
%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9+
%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A1+
%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%82+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A1&rft.pub=
Hawar+News+Agency&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawarnews.com%2F
%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B4%25D9%2583%25D9%258A%25D9%2584-
%25D8%25A3%25D9%2588%25D9%2584-%25D9%2583%25D8%25AA
%25D9%258A%25D8%25A8%25D8%25A9-
%25D8%25B9%25D8%25B3%25D9%2583%25D8%25B1%25D9%258A
%25D8%25A9-
%25D9%2584%25D9%2586%25D8%25B3%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A1-
%25D9%2585%25D9%2586%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B7%25D9%2582-
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B4%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
auto5_27-0">^</a> <cite class="citation
web"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161025045629/http://en.hawarnews.com/kurds-
front-we-will-resist-to-the-last-gasp/">"Kurds Front: we will resist to the last
gasp"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Hawar_News_Agency" title="Hawar News
Agency">Hawar News Agency</a>. 24 October 2016. Archived from <a
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.hawarnews.com/kurds-front-we-
will-resist-to-the-last-gasp/">the original</a> on 25 October 2016.</cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Hawar+News+Agency&rft.
atitle=Kurds+Front%3A+we+will+resist+to+the+last+gasp&rft.date=2016-10-
24&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.hawarnews.com%2Fkurds-front-we-will-resist-
to-the-last-gasp%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://jeshalthowar.com/?p=673">" ‫إعالن‬
‫<"قوات سوريا الديمقراطية في حلب وإدلب‬/a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171009195632/http://jeshalthowar.com/?
p=673">Archived</a> from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 17 March
%D8%A5%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86+
%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA+%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A
%D8%A7+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A
%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%A9+
%D9%81%D9%8A+%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A8+%D9%88%D8%A5%D8%AF
%D9%84%D8%A8&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fjeshalthowar.com%2F%3Fp
%3D673&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://kurdiscat.blogspot.com/2016/11/3-
membres-de-jabhat-al-akrad-i-quwat-al.html">"KurdisCat: 3 membres de Jabhat al
Akrad i Quwat al-Ashair moren en combat contra l'IS al front d'al Bab"</a>. 4
December 2016. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161201081942/http://kurdiscat.blogspot.com/201
6/11/3-membres-de-jabhat-al-akrad-i-quwat-al.html">Archived</a> from the original
on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2016.</cite><span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=KurdisCat
%3A+3+membres+de+Jabhat+al+Akrad+i+Quwat+al-
Ashair+moren+en+combat+contra+l%27IS+al+front+d
%27al+Bab&rft.date=2016-12-04&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fkurdiscat.blogspot.com%2F2016%2F11%2F3-membres-de-jabhat-al-akrad-i-
quwat-al.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A
%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%8A-%D8%AA
%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AA
%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%AA%D9%82/">"Democratic Brigade
North: Turkey impede our progress in coordination with Daesh"</a>. Hawar News
Agency. 8 September 2016. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external
text" href="http://www.hawarnews.com/%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A
%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%8A-%D8%AA
%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AA
%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%AA%D9%82/">the original</a> on 9
October 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info
%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
atitle=Democratic+Brigade+North
%3A+Turkey+impede+our+progress+in+coordination+with+Daesh&rft.date=201
6-09-08&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawarnews.com%2F
%25D9%2584%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A1-
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B4%25D9%2585%25D8%25A7%25D9%2
584-%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25AF%25D9%258A
%25D9%2585%25D9%2582%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B7%25D9%25
8A-%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B1%25D9%2583%25D9%258A%25D8%25A7-
%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B9%25D8%25B1%25D9%2582%25D9%2584-
%25D8%25AA%25D9%2582%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hX078qIGIcs">"Shahba forces"</a>. RUMAF. 1 December 2016. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170528085942/https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hX078qIGIcs">Archived</a> from the original on 28 May 2017<span
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=RUMAF&rft.atitle=Shahba
+forces&rft.date=2016-12-01&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com
%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhX078qIGIcs&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
auto3_32-0">^</a> <cite
id="CITEREFNews" class="citation web">News, ANF. <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="https://anfenglish.com/rojava/first-ycr-battalion-formed-in-
efrin-20928">"First YCR battalion formed in Efrîn"</a>. ANF News. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171009202837/https://anfenglish.com/rojava/first
-ycr-battalion-formed-in-efrin-20928">Archived</a> from the original on 9 October
July 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=ANF+News&rft.atitle=Firs
t+YCR+battalion+formed+in+Efr
%C3%AEn&rft.aulast=News&rft.aufirst=ANF&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fanfenglish.com%2Frojava%2Ffirst-ycr-battalion-formed-in-efrin-
20928&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-rf-33">^ <a href="#cite_ref-rf_33-
0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-rf_33-
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181023140432/http://www.aldorars.com/en/news
/1120">"Objectives of New SDF-Led militias in the city of Afrin"</a>. Al-Dorar
al-Shamia. 15 August 2017. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external
text" href="http://www.aldorars.com/en/news/1120">the original</a> on 23 October
August 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Al-Dorar+al-
Shamia&rft.atitle=Objectives+of+New+SDF-
Led+militias+in+the+city+of+Afrin&rft.date=2017-08-15&rft_id=http%3A
%2F%2Fwww.aldorars.com%2Fen%2Fnews%2F1120&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
href="http://www.shaam.org/news/syria-news/%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF-
%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-
%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF-%D8%AA
%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%84-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AA
%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-
%D9%88%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86.html">" "‫بعد "لواء ثوار إدلب‬
‫ ""قسد" تشكل "لواء تحرير إدلب وعفرين‬...!!"</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180704213017/http://www.shaam.org/news/syria
-news/%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-
%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-
%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%84-
%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A
%D8%B1-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-
%D9%88%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86.html">Archived</a> from
the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2019.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF+
%22%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1+%D8%AB
%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1+%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8%22+
%22%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF%22+%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%84+
%22%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1+%D8%AA%D8%AD
%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1+%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8+
%D9%88%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86%22+...
%21%21&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shaam.org%2Fnews%2Fsyria-news
%2F%25D8%25A8%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AF-
%25D9%2584%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A1-%25D8%25AB
%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1-%25D8%25A5%25D8%25AF
%25D9%2584%25D8%25A8-%25D9%2582%25D8%25B3%25D8%25AF-
%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B4%25D9%2583%25D9%2584-
%25D9%2584%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A1-%25D8%25AA
%25D8%25AD%25D8%25B1%25D9%258A%25D8%25B1-
%25D8%25A5%25D8%25AF%25D9%2584%25D8%25A8-
%25D9%2588%25D8%25B9%25D9%2581%25D8%25B1%25D9%258A
%25D9%2586.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="http://www.kurdstreet.com/%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A-
%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AB
%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-
%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A8%D9%83%D8%A9-
%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1/">"A leader in
the "Idlib revolutionaries" to Kurd Street network: the problems of tenderness behind
Turkey .. The arrival of the Arab delegation to Kobani is to support border
guards"</a>. Kurd Street. 2 June 2018. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180606160107/http://www.kurdstreet.com/
%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%81%D9%8A-
%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-
%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-
%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A8%D9%83%D8%A9-
%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA
%D8%B1/">Archived</a> from the original on 6 June 2018<span class="reference-
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Kurd+Street&rft.atitle=A+l
eader+in+the+%22Idlib+revolutionaries%22+to+Kurd+Street+network
%3A+the+problems+of+tenderness+behind+Turkey+..
+The+arrival+of+the+Arab+delegation+to+Kobani+is+to+support+border+guards&a
mp;rft.date=2018-06-02&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kurdstreet.com%2F
%25D9%2582%25D9%258A%25D8%25A7%25D8%25AF%25D9%258A-
%25D9%2581%25D9%258A-
%25D9%2584%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A1-%25D8%25AB
%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1-%25D8%25A5%25D8%25AF
%25D9%2584%25D8%25A8-
%25D9%2584%25D8%25B4%25D8%25A8%25D9%2583%25D8%25A9-
%25D9%2583%25D9%2588%25D8%25B1%25D8%25AF
%25D8%25B3%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B1%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.hawarnews.com/en/haber/afrin-
liberation-forces-carried-out-2-operations-in-afrin-h5687.html">"Afrin Liberation
Forces carried out 2 operations in Afrin - ANHA | HAWARNEWS |
English"</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181231150509/http://www.hawarnews.com/en/h
aber/afrin-liberation-forces-carried-out-2-operations-in-afrin-
h5687.html">Archived</a> from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Afrin+Liberation+Forces+carried
+out+2+operations+in+Afrin+-+ANHA+%26%23124%3B+HAWARNEWS+
%26%23124%3B+English&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawarnews.com
%2Fen%2Fhaber%2Fafrin-liberation-forces-carried-out-2-operations-in-afrin-
h5687.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161105234328/http://aranews.net/2016/11/inspir
ed-kurdish-ypj-units-al-bab-military-council-launches-female-battalion-fight-
isis/">"Inspired by Kurdish units, al-Bab Military Council creates all-female battalion
– ARA News"</a>. 1 November 2016. Archived from <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="http://aranews.net/2016/11/inspired-kurdish-ypj-units-al-
bab-military-council-launches-female-battalion-fight-isis/">the original</a> on 5
November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.</cite><span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Inspired+by+Kurdish+units
%2C+al-Bab+Military+Council+creates+all-female+battalion+
%E2%80%93+ARA+News&rft.date=2016-11-01&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Faranews.net%2F2016%2F11%2Finspired-kurdish-ypj-units-al-bab-military-
council-launches-female-battalion-fight-isis%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/jarablus-
military-council-warns-the-turkish-state">"ANF – Ajansa Nûçeyan ar Firatê"</a>. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160824201310/http://www.anfenglish.com/kurdi
stan/jarablus-military-council-warns-the-turkish-state">Archived</a> from the
original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved <span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=ANF+%E2%80%93+Ajansa+N
%C3%BB%C3%A7eyan+ar+Firat%C3%AA&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fanfenglish.com%2Fkurdistan%2Fjarablus-military-council-warns-the-turkish-
state&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces"
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Katibat-39"><a
href="#cite_ref-Katibat_39-0">^</a> <cite
id="CITEREFAntonopoulos2016" class="citation web">Antonopoulos, Paul (20
October 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/video-thuwar-raqqa-announce-a-
womens-battalion-to-fight-isis/">"Video: Thuwar Raqqa announce a women's
battalion to fight ISIS"</a>. Al-Masdar News. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170917174616/https://www.almasdarnews.com/a
rticle/video-thuwar-raqqa-announce-a-womens-battalion-to-fight-isis/">Archived</a>
from the original on 17 September 2017.
Retrieved 28 June 2017.</cite><span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Video
%3A+Thuwar+Raqqa+announce+a+women
%27s+battalion+to+fight+ISIS&rft.pub=Al-Masdar+News&rft.date=2016-
10-20&rft.aulast=Antonopoulos&rft.aufirst=Paul&rft_id=https%3A
%2F%2Fwww.almasdarnews.com%2Farticle%2Fvideo-thuwar-raqqa-announce-a-
womens-battalion-to-fight-isis%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-hawarnews.com-40">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-hawarnews.com_40-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-hawarnews.com_40-1">b</a>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161109061439/http://en.hawarnews.com/who-is-
taking-part-in-ghadab-al-firat-campaign/">"Who is taking part in Ghadab al-Firat
campaign?"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Hawar_News_Agency" title="Hawar News
Agency">Hawar News Agency</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external
text" href="http://en.hawarnews.com/who-is-taking-part-in-ghadab-al-firat-
campaign/">the original</a> on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Who+is+taking+part+in+Ghadab
+al-Firat+campaign%3F&rft.pub=Hawar+News+Agency&rft_id=http%3A
%2F%2Fen.hawarnews.com%2Fwho-is-taking-part-in-ghadab-al-firat-campaign
%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces"
</li>
41">^</a> en.hawarnews.com/wrath-of-
euphrates-fighters-head-for-al-sokeri/ <cite class="citation web"><a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170402175418/http://en.hawarnews.com/fighters
-from-all-al-raqqa-clans-participate-in-the-liberation-camiagn/#prettyPhoto">"Fighters
from all al-Raqqa clans participate in the liberation camiagn – ANHA"</a>. Archived
from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.hawarnews.com/fighters-
from-all-al-raqqa-clans-participate-in-the-liberation-camiagn/#prettyPhoto">the
original</a> on 2 April 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Fighters+from+all+al-
Raqqa+clans+participate+in+the+liberation+camiagn+
%E2%80%93+ANHA&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.hawarnews.com
%2Ffighters-from-all-al-raqqa-clans-participate-in-the-liberation-camiagn%2F
%23prettyPhoto&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2016/09/07/syriaraqqa-suspicious-factions-
with-the-pyd/">"#Syria-Raqqa suspicious factions with the PYD"</a>. 7 September
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170314063050/https://yallasouriya.wordpress.co
m/2016/09/07/syriaraqqa-suspicious-factions-with-the-pyd/">Archived</a> from the
original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved <span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%23Syria-
Raqqa+suspicious+factions+with+the+PYD&rft.date=2016-09-
07&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fyallasouriya.wordpress.com
%2F2016%2F09%2F07%2Fsyriaraqqa-suspicious-factions-with-the-pyd
</li>
id="CITEREF@Syria_Rebel_Obs2016" class="citation web">@Syria_Rebel_Obs (6
November 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://twitter.com/Syria_Rebel_Obs/status/795521792412647425">"EXCLUSI
VE SRO – Former leader of the main #Tabqa #FSA factions, Liwa Owais al-Qarni,
entered Northern Federation days ago"</a> (Tweet) – via <a
href="/wiki/Twitter" title="Twitter">Twitter</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=EXCLUSIVE+SRO+
%E2%80%93+Former+leader+of+the+main+%23Tabqa+%23FSA+factions
%2C+Liwa+Owais+al-Qarni
%2C+entered+Northern+Federation+days+ago&rft.date=2016-11-
06&rft.au=%40Syria_Rebel_Obs&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com
%2FSyria_Rebel_Obs%2Fstatus%2F795521792412647425&rfr_id=info%3Asid
rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r951705291"/>

</li>
%d8%b9%d8%b4%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%ac
%d9%8a%d9%84-%d8%a8%d8%b4%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%ae%d9%87%d8%a7-
%d9%88%d8%b4%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%87%d8%a7-%d8%aa
%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%af-%d9%82%d9%88/">"The Ajeel tribe in Raqqa
announces its support for the SDF, sends hundreds of fighters to join SDF ranks, and
denies allegations that it is opposed to the SDF"</a>. Hawar News Agency. 31
March 2017. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://www.hawarnews.com/%D8%B9%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%AC%D9%8A%D9%84-
%D8%A8%D8%B4%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%AE%D9%87%D8%A7-
%D9%88%D8%B4%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%AA
%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%82%D9%88/">the original</a> on 26
April 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
atitle=The+Ajeel+tribe+in+Raqqa+announces+its+support+for+the+SDF
%2C+sends+hundreds+of+fighters+to+join+SDF+ranks
%2C+and+denies+allegations+that+it+is+opposed+to+the+SDF&rft.date=2017-
03-31&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawarnews.com%2F
%25D8%25B9%25D8%25B4%25D9%258A%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A9-
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AC%25D9%258A
%25D9%2584-%25D8%25A8%25D8%25B4%25D9%258A
%25D9%2588%25D8%25AE%25D9%2587%25D8%25A7-
%25D9%2588%25D8%25B4%25D8%25A8%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25D9%2
587%25D8%25A7-%25D8%25AA
%25D8%25B3%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25D8%25AF-
%25D9%2582%25D9%2588%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160813173209/http://en.hawarnews.com/what-
platoons-are-participating-in-freeing-raqqa-campaign/">"What platoons are
participating in freeing Raqqa campaign? - ANHA"</a>. en.hawarnews.com.
Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://en.hawarnews.com/what-platoons-are-participating-in-freeing-raqqa-
campaign/">the original</a> on 13 August 2016.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
e=What+platoons+are+participating+in+freeing+Raqqa+campaign%3F+-
+ANHA&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.hawarnews.com%2Fwhat-platoons-are-
participating-in-freeing-raqqa-campaign%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-
remains-to-be-done-in-the-final-phase-of-america-war-on-isis-60-minutes/">"What
remains to be done in the final phase of America's war on ISIS – 60 Minutes"</a>.
CBS News. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190107080419/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/
what-remains-to-be-done-in-the-final-phase-of-america-war-on-isis-60-
minutes/">Archived</a> from the original on 7 January 2019<span class="reference-
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=What+remains+to+be+done+in+t
he+final+phase+of+America%27s+war+on+ISIS+
%E2%80%93+60+Minutes&rft.pub=CBS+News&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fwhat-remains-to-be-done-in-the-final-phase-of-
america-war-on-isis-60-minutes%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-sdf-press.com-47">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-sdf-press.com_47-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-sdf-press.com_47-1">b</a>
class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180913114944/http://sdf-
press.com/2018/01/%d8%aa%d9%83%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%81-%d9%83%d9%8a
%d9%86%d9%88-%d8%ba%d8%a7%d8%a8%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%84-
%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%b7%d9%82%d8%a7%d9%8b-
%d8%b1%d8%b3%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7-
%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b3%d9%85/">"Archived copy"</a>. Archived from <a
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://sdf-press.com/2018/01/%D8%AA
%D9%83%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%81-%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%88-
%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%84-
%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%8B-
%D8%B1%D8%B3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A7-
%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85/">the original</a> on 13 September
March 2019.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Archived+copy&rft_id=http
%3A%2F%2Fsdf-press.com%2F2018%2F01%2F%25D8%25AA
%25D9%2583%25D9%2584%25D9%258A%25D9%2581-
%25D9%2583%25D9%258A%25D9%2586%25D9%2588-%25D8%25BA
%25D8%25A7%25D8%25A8%25D8%25B1%25D9%258A%25D9%258A
%25D9%2584-
%25D9%2586%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B7%25D9%2582%25D8%25A7%25D9%2
58B-%25D8%25B1%25D8%25B3%25D9%2585%25D9%258A%25D8%25A7-
%25D8%25A8%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B3%25D9%2585%2F&rfr_id=info
class="Z3988">CS1 maint:
archived copy as title (<a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title"
title="Category:CS1 maint: archived copy as title">link</a>)<link rel="mw-
</li>
href="http://news.trust.org/item/20170326122959-ucpgf/">"Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, the
official spokesperson of the Raqqa campaign, talks during a conference, east of Raqqa
city, Syria"</a>. Thomson Reuters Foundation. 26 March 2017. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171009201449/http://news.trust.org/item/201703
26122959-ucpgf/">Archived</a> from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 13 May
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Jihan+Sheikh+Ahmed
%2C+the+official+spokesperson+of+the+Raqqa+campaign
%2C+talks+during+a+conference%2C+east+of+Raqqa+city
%2C+Syria&rft.pub=Thomson+Reuters+Foundation&rft.date=2017-03-
26&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.trust.org%2Fitem%2F20170326122959-ucpgf
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/1-july-
ypg-declared-the-qamishli-as-the-capital-of-the-rojavanorthern">"YPG declared the
Qamishli as the capital of the Rojava-Northern Syria, part of Federation"</a>. 2 July
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160705180807/http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/20
16/1-july-ypg-declared-the-qamishli-as-the-capital-of-the-
rojavanorthern">Archived</a> from the original on 5 July 2016<span
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=YPG+declared+the+Qamishli+as
+the+capital+of+the+Rojava-Northern+Syria
%2C+part+of+Federation&rft.date=2016-07-02&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fsyria.liveuamap.com%2Fen%2F2016%2F1-july-ypg-declared-the-qamishli-as-
the-capital-of-the-rojavanorthern&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
50">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFLister2015"
class="citation news">Lister, Tim (1 November 2015). <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/01/middleeast/kurds-battle-
isis-syria-iraq/index.html">"New assaults on ISIS in Iraq and in Syria"</a>.
CNN. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151102104239/http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/01/
middleeast/kurds-battle-isis-syria-iraq/index.html">Archived</a> from the original on
2 November 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.</cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=CNN&rft.atitle=New+assaults
+on+ISIS+in+Iraq+and+in+Syria&rft.date=2015-11-
01&rft.aulast=Lister&rft.aufirst=Tim&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2015%2F11%2F01%2Fmiddleeast%2Fkurds-battle-isis-syria-
iraq%2Findex.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-democratic-forces-inch-closer-
deir-ezzor-al-mukmin-captured/">"Syrian Democratic Forces inch closer to Deir
Ezzor: Al-Mukmin captured"</a>. Almasdar News. 7 March 2016. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160309032844/https://www.almasdarnews.com/a
rticle/syrian-democratic-forces-inch-closer-deir-ezzor-al-mukmin-
captured/">Archived</a> from the original on 9 March 2016<span class="reference-
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Syrian+Democratic+Forces+inch
+closer+to+Deir+Ezzor%3A+Al-
Mukmin+captured&rft.pub=Almasdar+News&rft.date=2016-03-
07&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.almasdarnews.com%2Farticle%2Fsyrian-
democratic-forces-inch-closer-deir-ezzor-al-mukmin-captured%2F&rfr_id=info
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.checkpointasia.net/us-claims-
its-syria-proxy-force-is-100000-strong-as-turkey-threatens-to-invade/">"US Claims Its
Syria Proxy Force Is 100,000-Strong as Turkey Threatens to Invade"</a>. 7 August
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191012021832/https://www.checkpointasia.net/u
s-claims-its-syria-proxy-force-is-100000-strong-as-turkey-threatens-to-
invade/">Archived</a> from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 15 September
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=US+Claims+Its+Syria+Proxy+Fo
rce+Is+100%2C000-Strong+as+Turkey+Threatens+to+Invade&rft.date=2019-08-
07&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.checkpointasia.net%2Fus-claims-its-syria-
proxy-force-is-100000-strong-as-turkey-threatens-to-invade%2F&rfr_id=info
</li>
<li id="cite_note-edition.cnn.com-53">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-edition.cnn.com_53-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-edition.cnn.com_53-1">b</a>
class="external text" href="http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/21/politics/top-u-s-
commander-completes-day-long-secret-visit-to-syria/index.html">"Top U.S.
commander completes day-long secret visit to Syria (CNN)"</a>. 22 May 2016. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160524043732/http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/2
1/politics/top-u-s-commander-completes-day-long-secret-visit-to-
syria/index.html">Archived</a> from the original on 24 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Top+U.S.
+commander+completes+day-long+secret+visit+to+Syria+%28CNN
%29&rft.date=2016-05-22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com
%2F2016%2F05%2F21%2Fpolitics%2Ftop-u-s-commander-completes-day-long-
secret-visit-to-syria%2Findex.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-The_Washington_Post-54">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-The_Washington_Post_54-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-The_Washington_Post_54-
href="http://wpo.st/fEbb1">"The new coalition to destroy the Islamic State"</a>.
The Washington Post). 22 May 2016.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=The+Washington+Post
%29&rft.atitle=The+new+coalition+to+destroy+the+Islamic+State&rft.date
=2016-05-22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwpo.st%2FfEbb1&rfr_id=info
</li>
<li id="cite_note-aljazeera.com-55">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-aljazeera.com_55-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-aljazeera.com_55-1">b</a>
class="external text" href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/syrian-warplanes-
hit-kurdish-held-areas-time-160818173939424.html">"Syrian fighter jets hit Kurd-
held areas for first time (Aljazeera)"</a>. 19 August 2016. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160821164658/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2
016/08/syrian-warplanes-hit-kurdish-held-areas-time-
160818173939424.html">Archived</a> from the original on 21 August 2016<span
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Syrian+fighter+jets+hit+Kurd-
held+areas+for+first+time+%28Aljazeera%29&rft.date=2016-08-
19&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews
%2F2016%2F08%2Fsyrian-warplanes-hit-kurdish-held-areas-time-
160818173939424.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-independent.co.uk-56">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-independent.co.uk_56-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-independent.co.uk_56-1">b</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-independent.co.uk_56-2">c</a>
<cite class="citation news"><a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-
east/syria-war-news-latest-air-strikes-us-fighter-jets-scrambled-hasakah-stop-syrian-
planes-bombing-a7200956.html">"Syria war: US fighter jets scrambled to stop Syrian
planes bombing special forces and allies in Hasakah"</a>. Independent. 20
August 2016. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171006020553/https://www.independent.co.uk/n
ews/world/middle-east/syria-war-news-latest-air-strikes-us-fighter-jets-scrambled-
hasakah-stop-syrian-planes-bombing-a7200956.html">Archived</a> from the original
on 6 October 2017. Retrieved <span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Independent&rft.atitle=Syria+
war
%3A+US+fighter+jets+scrambled+to+stop+Syrian+planes+bombing+special+forces+
and+allies+in+Hasakah&rft.date=2016-08-20&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fmiddle-east%2Fsyria-war-news-
latest-air-strikes-us-fighter-jets-scrambled-hasakah-stop-syrian-planes-bombing-
a7200956.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-europe.newsweek.com-57">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-europe.newsweek.com_57-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-europe.newsweek.com_57-
href="http://europe.newsweek.com/france-admits-special-forces-operating-ground-
rebels-syria-468434?rm=eu">"France Admits Special Forces Operating on Ground
With Rebels in Syria"</a>. Newsweek. 9 June 2016. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160823005207/http://europe.newsweek.com/fran
ce-admits-special-forces-operating-ground-rebels-syria-468434?
rm=eu">Archived</a> from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Newsweek&rft.atitle=Franc
e+Admits+Special+Forces+Operating+on+Ground+With+Rebels+in+Syria&rft.d
ate=2016-06-09&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Feurope.newsweek.com%2Ffrance-
admits-special-forces-operating-ground-rebels-syria-468434%3Frm
%3Deu&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-sputniknews.com-58">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-sputniknews.com_58-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-sputniknews.com_58-1">b</a>
href="http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160614/1041316184/french-troops-
kobani-syria.html">"Battle for Manbij: French Special Forces Building Military Base
in Kobani"</a>. Sputnik News. 14 June 2016. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160617054519/http://sputniknews.com/middleea
st/20160614/1041316184/french-troops-kobani-syria.html">Archived</a> from the
original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Battle+for+Manbij
%3A+French+Special+Forces+Building+Military+Base+in+Kobani&rft.pub=Sp
utnik+News&rft.date=2016-06-14&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fsputniknews.com%2Fmiddleeast%2F20160614%2F1041316184%2Ffrench-
troops-kobani-syria.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-ENGLISH_EDITION_OF_ASHARQ_AL-AWSAT-59"><a href="#cite_ref-
ENGLISH_EDITION_OF_ASHARQ_AL-AWSAT_59-0">^</a> "Syrian
Opposition Calls for Suspension of U.S.-led Air Strikes"</a>. SOHR. 21 July 2016.
Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://english.aawsat.com/2016/07/article55354881/u-s-backed-syrian-force-
gives-isis-48-hours-leave-manbij">the original</a> on 26 October 2016<span
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Syrian+Opposition+Calls+for+Su
spension+of+U.S.-led+Air+Strikes&rft.pub=SOHR&rft.date=2016-07-
21&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fenglish.aawsat.com
%2F2016%2F07%2Farticle55354881%2Fu-s-backed-syrian-force-gives-isis-48-hours-
leave-manbij&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-NewsDeeply_–_Syria_Deeply-60"><a href="#cite_ref-NewsDeeply_–_Syria_Deeply_60-
href="https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2016/01/22/origins-of-the-syrian-
democratic-forces-a-primer/">"Origins of the Syrian Democratic Forces: A
Primer"</a>. 15 June 2016. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160916154938/https://www.newsdeeply.com/syr
ia/articles/2016/01/22/origins-of-the-syrian-democratic-forces-a-
primer/">Archived</a> from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 15 June
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Origins+of+the+Syrian+Democra
tic+Forces%3A+A+Primer&rft.date=2016-06-15&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.newsdeeply.com%2Fsyria%2Farticles%2F2016%2F01%2F22%2Forigins-
of-the-syrian-democratic-forces-a-primer%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-Simone_2019-61"><a
href="#cite_ref-Simone_2019_61-0">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFSimone2019" class="citation web">Simone, Daniel De (24
October 2019). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50156963">"The British man put on trial after
fighting IS"</a>. <a href="/wiki/BBC_News" title="BBC News">BBC
News</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191028074312/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-
50156963">Archived</a> from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=BBC+News&rft.atitle=The
+British+man+put+on+trial+after+fighting+IS&rft.date=2019-10-
24&rft.aulast=Simone&rft.aufirst=Daniel+De&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fuk-50156963&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-sef-62"><a href="#cite_ref-
sef_62-0">^</a> <cite class="citation
news"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://aranews.net/2016/12/elite-
forces-led-former-syrian-opposition-chief-join-sdf-fight-isis/">"Elite Forces led by
former Syrian opposition chief join fight against ISIS"</a>. <a
href="/wiki/ARA_News" title="ARA News">ARA News</a>. 11 December 2016. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170826000403/http://aranews.net/2016/12/elite-
forces-led-former-syrian-opposition-chief-join-sdf-fight-isis/">Archived</a> from the
original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved <span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Elite+Forces+led+by+former+Syri
an+opposition+chief+join+fight+against+ISIS&rft.date=2016-12-
11&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Faranews.net%2F2016%2F12%2Felite-forces-led-
former-syrian-opposition-chief-join-sdf-fight-isis%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
63">^</a> <cite class="citation news"><a
href="https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/comment/2017/2/23/the-uae-has-it-in-for-the-
muslim-brotherhood">"The UAE has it in for the Muslim Brotherhood"</a>. <a
href="/wiki/Al-Araby_Al-Jadeed" class="mw-redirect" title="Al-Araby Al-
Jadeed">Al-Araby Al-Jadeed</a>. 22 February 2017. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170731032334/https://www.alaraby.co.uk/englis
h/comment/2017/2/23/the-uae-has-it-in-for-the-muslim-brotherhood">Archived</a>
from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved
25 July 2017. <q>Along with their American
counterparts, Emirati special forces are said to be training elements of the opposition.
They constitute a kind of Arab guarantee among the Syrian Democratic Forces – an
umbrella group dominated by the Kurds of the PYD, on whom the US are relying to
fight IS on the ground.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Al-Araby+Al-
Jadeed&rft.atitle=The+UAE+has+it+in+for+the+Muslim+Brotherhood&rft.
date=2017-02-22&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alaraby.co.uk%2Fenglish
%2Fcomment%2F2017%2F2%2F23%2Fthe-uae-has-it-in-for-the-muslim-
brotherhood&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?
nn=13951204000349">"UAE, Kurds Standing against US, Turkey in Syria"</a>.
<a href="/wiki/Farsnews" class="mw-redirect"
title="Farsnews">Farsnews</a>. 22 February 2017. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180417105644/http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.a
spx?nn=13951204000349">Archived</a> from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Farsnews&rft.atitle=UAE
%2C+Kurds+Standing+against+US%2C+Turkey+in+Syria&rft.date=2017-02-
22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.farsnews.com%2Fnewstext.aspx%3Fnn
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-
politics/2018/4/16/17238058/syria-bombing-trump-business-interests">"The U.S.
bombing of Syria implicates many of Trump's business interests"</a>. <a
href="/wiki/Vox_(website)" title="Vox (website)">Vox</a>. 16 April 2018. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180416181111/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-
politics/2018/4/16/17238058/syria-bombing-trump-business-interests">Archived</a>
from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved
19 April 2018.</cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Vox&rft.atitle=The+U.S.
+bombing+of+Syria+implicates+many+of+Trump
%27s+business+interests&rft.date=2018-04-16&rft_id=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.vox.com%2Fpolicy-and-politics
%2F2018%2F4%2F16%2F17238058%2Fsyria-bombing-trump-business-
interests&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
<li id="cite_note-arabforce-66">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-arabforce_66-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-arabforce_66-1">b</a> <cite class="citation news"><a rel="nofollow" class="external
text" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-seeks-arab-force-and-funding-for-syria-
1523927888">"U.S. Seeks Arab Force and Funding for Syria"</a>. <a
href="/wiki/Wall_Street_Journal" class="mw-redirect" title="Wall Street
Journal">Wall Street Journal</a>. 16 April 2018. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180530000418/https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-
seeks-arab-force-and-funding-for-syria-1523927888">Archived</a> from the original
on 30 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018. <q>Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.
helped pay the stipends for the Syrian fighters the U.S. is supporting</q></cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Wall+Street+Journal&rft.atitle
=U.S.+Seeks+Arab+Force+and+Funding+for+Syria&rft.date=2018-04-
16&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fu-s-seeks-arab-
force-and-funding-for-syria-1523927888&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.dailysabah.com/war-on-
terror/2018/05/30/saudi-arabia-in-talks-with-ypg-to-form-new-force">"Saudi Arabia in
talks with YPG to form new force"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Daily_Sabah" title="Daily
Sabah">Daily Sabah</a>. 30 May 2018. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180530040651/https://www.dailysabah.com/war-
on-terror/2018/05/30/saudi-arabia-in-talks-with-ypg-to-form-new-
force">Archived</a> from the original on 30 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Daily+Sabah&rft.atitle=Saudi
+Arabia+in+talks+with+YPG+to+form+new+force&rft.date=2018-05-
30&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailysabah.com%2Fwar-on-terror
%2F2018%2F05%2F30%2Fsaudi-arabia-in-talks-with-ypg-to-form-new-
force&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces"
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newsweek.com/trumps-new-
army-saudi-arabia-talks-build-syria-arab-force-reports-say-950023">"Trump's New
Army? Saudi Arabia in Talks to Build Syria Arab Force, Report Says"</a>. <a
href="/wiki/Newsweek" title="Newsweek">Newsweek</a>. 30 May 2018. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180531195030/http://www.newsweek.com/trump
s-new-army-saudi-arabia-talks-build-syria-arab-force-reports-say-
950023">Archived</a> from the original on 31 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Newsweek&rft.atitle=Trump
%27s+New+Army%3F+Saudi+Arabia+in+Talks+to+Build+Syria+Arab+Force
%2C+Report+Says&rft.date=2018-05-30&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2Ftrumps-new-army-saudi-arabia-talks-build-syria-arab-
force-reports-say-950023&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.dailysabah.com/syrian-
crisis/2018/08/17/saudi-arabia-pledges-100-million-for-sdf-controlled-areas-liberated-
from-daesh-in-syria">"Saudi Arabia pledges $100 million for SDF-controlled areas
liberated from Daesh in Syria"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Daily_Sabah" title="Daily
Sabah">Daily Sabah</a>. 17 August 2018. <a rel="nofollow" class="external
text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180820074519/https://www.dailysabah.com/syri
an-crisis/2018/08/17/saudi-arabia-pledges-100-million-for-sdf-controlled-areas-
liberated-from-daesh-in-syria">Archived</a> from the original on 20 August
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Daily+Sabah&rft.atitle=Saudi
+Arabia+pledges+%24100+million+for+SDF-
controlled+areas+liberated+from+Daesh+in+Syria&rft.date=2018-08-
17&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailysabah.com%2Fsyrian-crisis
%2F2018%2F08%2F17%2Fsaudi-arabia-pledges-100-million-for-sdf-controlled-
areas-liberated-from-daesh-in-syria&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.lanuovabq.it/it/soldati-italiani-
in-siria-arriva-la-smentita-ma">"Soldati italiani in Siria? Arriva la smentita, ma..."</a>
(in Italian). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141753/http://www.lanuovabq.it/it/soldati
-italiani-in-siria-arriva-la-smentita-ma">Archived</a> from the original on 12 June
June 2018.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Soldati+italiani+in+Siria
%3F+Arriva+la+smentita%2C+ma...&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.lanuovabq.it%2Fit%2Fsoldati-italiani-in-siria-arriva-la-smentita-
ma&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces"
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131114002747/https://www.reuters.com/article/2
013/11/13/us-syria-kurds-idUSBRE9AC14C20131113?irpc=932">"Syrian Kurdish
leader claims military gains against Islamists"</a>. Archived from the original on 14
November 2013.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Syrian+Kurdish+leader+claims+
military+gains+against+Islamists&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com
%2Farticle%2F2013%2F11%2F13%2Fus-syria-kurds-
idUSBRE9AC14C20131113%3Firpc%3D932&rfr_id=info%3Asid
%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces" class="Z3988">CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown
(<a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_BOT:_original-url_status_unknown"
title="Category:CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown">link</a>)<link
</li>
72">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFPaís2015"
class="citation news">País, Ediciones El (7 July 2015). <a rel="nofollow"
href="http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/07/07/inenglish/1436256819_819192.html">"Two
Spaniards arrested on return from fighting ISIS in Syria"</a>. EL PAÍS. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160125164458/http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/07/0
7/inenglish/1436256819_819192.html">Archived</a> from the original on 25 January
January 2016.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=EL+PA
%C3%8DS&rft.atitle=Two+Spaniards+arrested+on+return+from+fighting+ISIS+
in+Syria&rft.date=2015-07-07&rft.aulast=Pa
%C3%ADs&rft.aufirst=Ediciones+El&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Felpais.com
%2Felpais%2F2015%2F07%2F07%2Finenglish
%2F1436256819_819192.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/New-Leftist-Freedom-Brigade-to-Join-
Kurdish-Forces-in-Rojava-20150613-0023.html">"New Leftist 'Freedom Brigade' to
Join Kurdish Forces in Rojava"</a>. telesurtv.net. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160112090417/http://www.telesurtv.net/english/
news/New-Leftist-Freedom-Brigade-to-Join-Kurdish-Forces-in-Rojava-20150613-
0023.html">Archived</a> from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=telesurtv.net&rft.atitle=New+
Leftist+%27Freedom+Brigade
%27+to+Join+Kurdish+Forces+in+Rojava&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.telesurtv.net%2Fenglish%2Fnews%2FNew-Leftist-Freedom-Brigade-to-
Join-Kurdish-Forces-in-Rojava-20150613-0023.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.voanews.com/a/us-backed-
syrian-forces-iraqi-army-islamic-state-key-border-town/4460720.html">"SDF, Iraqis
Defend Syrian Border Town from IS"</a>. Voanews.com. 29 June 2018. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180706161707/https://www.voanews.com/a/us-
backed-syrian-forces-iraqi-army-islamic-state-key-border-
town/4460720.html">Archived</a> from the original on 6 July 2018<span
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=SDF
%2C+Iraqis+Defend+Syrian+Border+Town+from+IS&rft.pub=Voanews.com&a
mp;rft.date=2018-06-29&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voanews.com%2Fa
%2Fus-backed-syrian-forces-iraqi-army-islamic-state-key-border-town
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.orient-
news.net/ar/news_show/148907/0/%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%82-
%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF-
%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A
%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9-
%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF
%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A
%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88">"Archived copy"</a>.
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180616115902/http://www.orient-
news.net/ar/news_show/148907/0/%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%82-
%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%AF-
%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A
%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9-
%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF
%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A
%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88">Archived</a> from the
original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved <span
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Archived+copy&rft_id=https
%3A%2F%2Fwww.orient-news.net%2Far%2Fnews_show%2F148907%2F0%2F
%25D8%25AA%25D9%2586%25D8%25B3%25D9%258A%25D9%2582-
%25D8%25A8%25D9%258A%25D9%2586-
%25D9%2582%25D8%25B3%25D8%25AF-
%25D9%2588%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D9%2585%25D9%258A
%25D9%2584%25D9%258A%25D8%25B4%25D9%258A
%25D8%25A7%25D8%25AA-
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B9%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2
582%25D9%258A%25D8%25A9-%25D8%25B9%25D9%2584%25D9%2589-
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25AD%25D8%25AF
%25D9%2588%25D8%25AF-
%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B3%25D9%2588%25D8%25B1%25D9%25
8A%25D8%25A9-%25D9%2581%25D9%258A%25D8%25AF%25D9%258A
%25D9%2588&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
%3ASyrian+Democratic+Forces" class="Z3988">CS1 maint: archived copy as title (<a
href="/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title" title="Category:CS1
maint: archived copy as title">link</a>)<link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-
style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r951705291"/>
</li>
href="http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/270620161">"Are the PKK and Cairo new
allies?"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Rudaw" title="Rudaw">Rudaw</a>. 27 June
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160628151811/http://rudaw.net/english/middleea
st/270620161">Archived</a> from the original on 28 June 2016. <q>Cairo allegedly gave the PKK delegation funds and weapons after
the second meeting, the report adds.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Rudaw&rft.atitle=Are+the
+PKK+and+Cairo+new+allies%3F&rft.date=2016-06-27&rft_id=http%3A
%2F%2Frudaw.net%2Fenglish%2Fmiddleeast%2F270620161&rfr_id=info
</li>
id="CITEREFColeman2015" class="citation news">Coleman, Luke (5 March 2015).
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403014709/http://basnews.com/en/news/2015
/03/05/we-armed-kurds/">"Assad: We Armed Kurds Before International
Coalition"</a>. basnews.com. Archived from <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="http://basnews.com/en/news/2015/03/05/we-armed-
kurds/">the original</a> on 3 April 2015.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=basnews.com&rft.atitle=Assad
%3A+We+Armed+Kurds+Before+International+Coalition&rft.date=2015-03-
05&rft.aulast=Coleman&rft.aufirst=Luke&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fbasnews.com%2Fen%2Fnews%2F2015%2F03%2F05%2Fwe-armed-kurds
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.syriahr.com/?p=258399">"
‫ ألف مدني في منطقة‬700 ‫أوضاع إنسانية كارثية يعيشها نحو‬...‫بالتزامن مع تعامي المجتمع الدولي عن مأساتهم‬
‫<"عفرين التي تحاصرها القوات التركية • المرصد السوري لحقوق اإلنسان‬/a>. 14 March
2018.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi
%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86+
%D9%85%D8%B9+%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A+%D8%B9%D9%86+
%D9%85%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AA
%D9%87%D9%85...%D8%A3%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%B9+
%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9+
%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%A9+%D9%8A
%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7+%D9%86%D8%AD
%D9%88+700+%D8%A3%D9%84%D9%81+%D9%85%D8%AF
%D9%86%D9%8A+%D9%81%D9%8A+
%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D8%A9+
%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA
%D9%8A+%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A9+
%E2%80%A2+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B5%D8%AF+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A+%D9%84%D8%AD
%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86&rft.date=2
018-03-14&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.syriahr.com%2F%3Fp
</li>
href="http://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2015/04/20/assad-regime-says-it-will-
continue-to-provide-weaponry-money-to-kurds">"Assad regime says it will continue
to provide weaponry, money to Kurds"</a>. DailySabah. 20 April 2015. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190327102423/https://www.dailysabah.com/dipl
omacy/2015/04/20/assad-regime-says-it-will-continue-to-provide-weaponry-money-to-
kurds">Archived</a> from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 February
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=DailySabah&rft.atitle=Assa
d+regime+says+it+will+continue+to+provide+weaponry
%2C+money+to+Kurds&rft.date=2015-04-20&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.dailysabah.com%2Fdiplomacy%2F2015%2F04%2F20%2Fassad-regime-
says-it-will-continue-to-provide-weaponry-money-to-kurds&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
href="https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2016-02-10/gunmen-open-fire-on-
syria-aid-convoy-no-casualties-reported">"Activists and a rebel commander say
Kurdish fighters have launched an attack in northern Syria under the cover of Russian
airstrikes to try and capture a military air base held by insurgents"</a>. U.S. News
& World Report. 10 February 2016. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171009195313/https://www.usnews.com/news/w
orld/articles/2016-02-10/gunmen-open-fire-on-syria-aid-convoy-no-casualties-
reported">Archived</a> from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 15 September
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=U.S.
+News+
%26+World+Report&rft.atitle=Activists+and+a+rebel+commander+say+Kurdish
+fighters+have+launched+an+attack+in+northern+Syria+under+the+cover+of+Russia
n+airstrikes+to+try+and+capture+a+military+air+base+held+by+insurgents&rft.
date=2016-02-10&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usnews.com%2Fnews
%2Fworld%2Farticles%2F2016-02-10%2Fgunmen-open-fire-on-syria-aid-convoy-no-
casualties-reported&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151029041050/http://www.todayszaman.com/dip
lomacy_russia-cooperates-with-pyd-against-isil_401118.html">"Russia cooperates
with PYD against ISIL"</a>. Today's Zaman. 9 October 2015. Archived from
href="http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_russia-cooperates-with-pyd-against-
isil_401118.html">the original</a> on 29 October 2015.</cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Today
%27s+Zaman&rft.atitle=Russia+cooperates+with+PYD+against+ISIL&rft.d
ate=2015-10-09&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayszaman.com
%2Fdiplomacy_russia-cooperates-with-pyd-against-
isil_401118.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://aa.com.tr/en/turkey/russian-support-
for-pkks-syrian-arm-pyd-/482307">"Russian support for PKK's Syrian arm
PYD"</a>. Anadolu Agency. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160817162902/http://aa.com.tr/en/turkey/russian-
support-for-pkks-syrian-arm-pyd-/482307">Archived</a> from the original on 17
August 2016. Retrieved <span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Anadolu+Agency&rft.atitle
=Russian+support+for+PKK%27s+Syrian+arm+PYD&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Faa.com.tr%2Fen%2Fturkey%2Frussian-support-for-pkks-syrian-arm-pyd-
%2F482307&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/93884-151128-kurds-
attack-turkish-sponsored-syrian-opposition-forces-with-russian-help">"Kurds attack
Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces with Russian help"</a>. i24 News. 28
November 2015. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151202181809/http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/i
nternational/middle-east/93884-151128-kurds-attack-turkish-sponsored-syrian-
opposition-forces-with-russian-help">Archived</a> from the original on 2 December
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Kurds+attack+Turkish-
backed+Syrian+opposition+forces+with+Russian+help&rft.date=2015-11-
28&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.i24news.tv%2Fen%2Fnews%2Finternational
%2Fmiddle-east%2F93884-151128-kurds-attack-turkish-sponsored-syrian-opposition-
forces-with-russian-help&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151208144328/http://rudaw.net/english/middleea
st/syria/28112015">"YPG advances near Turkey's border"</a>. Rudaw Media
Network. 28 November 2015. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/28112015">the original</a> on 8
December 2015.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=YPG+advances+near+Turkey
%27s+border&rft.date=2015-11-28&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Frudaw.net
%2Fenglish%2Fmiddleeast%2Fsyria%2F28112015&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
85">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFWood2016"
class="citation news">Wood, L. Todd (8 February 2016). <a rel="nofollow"
class="external text" href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/feb/8/l-todd-
wood-russia-supporting-kurdish-groups-syria/">"Russia supporting Kurdish groups in
Syria to Turkey's detriment"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Washington_Times" class="mw-
redirect" title="Washington Times">Washington Times</a>. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160715011610/http://www.washingtontimes.com
/news/2016/feb/8/l-todd-wood-russia-supporting-kurdish-groups-syria/">Archived</a>
from the original on 15 July 2016. Retrieved
24 August 2016.</cite><span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Washington+Times&rft.atitle=
Russia+supporting+Kurdish+groups+in+Syria+to+Turkey
%27s+detriment&rft.date=2016-02-08&rft.aulast=Wood&rft.aufirst=L.
+Todd&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtontimes.com%2Fnews
%2F2016%2Ffeb%2F8%2Fl-todd-wood-russia-supporting-kurdish-groups-syria
</li>
href="http://www.rudaw.net/arabic/middleeast/syria/130220181">" ‫فصيل من الحشد الشعبي‬
‫<"ينقذ مقاتلين من قوات سوريا الديمقراطية على‬/a>. Rudaw.net. <a rel="nofollow"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180819182500/http://www.rudaw.net/arabic/mid
dleeast/syria/130220181">Archived</a> from the original on 19 August 2018<span
%D9%81%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%84+%D9%85%D9%86+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B4%D8%AF+
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%8A+%D9%8A
%D9%86%D9%82%D8%B0+%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA
%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%86+%D9%85%D9%86+
%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA+%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A
%D8%A7+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A
%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%A9+
%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89&rft.pub=Rudaw.net&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.rudaw.net%2Farabic%2Fmiddleeast%2Fsyria
%2F130220181&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
id="CITEREFGlioti,_Andrea2013" class="citation web">Glioti, Andrea (7 May
2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131121071442/http://www.al-
monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/05/pyd-pkk-syria-kurdistan.html">"Kurdish group
gaining autonomy in northern Syria"</a>. Al-Monitor. Archived from <a
rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.al-
monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/05/pyd-pkk-syria-kurdistan.html">the original</a>
on 21 November 2013. Retrieved <span
%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Al-
Monitor&rft.atitle=Kurdish+group+gaining+autonomy+in+northern+Syria&
rft.date=2013-05-07&rft.au=Glioti%2C+Andrea&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.al-monitor.com%2Fpulse%2Foriginals%2F2013%2F05%2Fpyd-pkk-syria-
kurdistan.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
</li>
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170306122240/http://en.hawarnews.com/second-
hat-course-members-graduate/">"Second HAT course members graduate –
ANHA"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="http://en.hawarnews.com/second-hat-course-members-graduate/">the
original</a> on 6 March 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Second+HAT+course+members+
graduate+%E2%80%93+ANHA&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.hawarnews.com
%2Fsecond-hat-course-members-graduate%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid
</li>
<li id="cite_note-middleeasteye.net-89">^ <a
href="#cite_ref-middleeasteye.net_89-0">a</a> <a
href="#cite_ref-middleeasteye.net_89-1">b</a>
class="external text" href="http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/anti-coalition-trains-
policemen-syrias-raqqa-1227633581">"Anti-IS coalition trains policemen for Syria's
Raqqa"</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text"
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170523232125/http://www.middleeasteye.net/ne
ws/anti-coalition-trains-policemen-syrias-raqqa-1227633581">Archived</a> from the
original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Anti-
IS+coalition+trains+policemen+for+Syria%27s+Raqqa&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.middleeasteye.net%2Fnews%2Fanti-coalition-trains-policemen-syrias-
raqqa-1227633581&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org
deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r951705291"/> <cite
href="http://www.sof.news/conflicts/raqqa-internal-security-force/">"Raqqa Internal
Security Force (RISF) – Militia Trained by U.S. - SOF News"</a>. 29 June 2017. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170704140346/http://www.sof.news/conflicts/raq
qa-internal-security-force/">Archived</a> from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June
%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx
%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Raqqa+Internal+Security+Force+
%28RISF%29+%E2%80%93+Militia+Trained+by+U.S.+-
+SOF+News&rft.date=2017-06-29&rft_id=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.sof.news%2Fconflicts%2Fraqqa-internal-security-force
</li>
<li id="cite_note-90"><a href="#cite_ref-90">^

2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

<!

You might also like