YPG International

The YPG International or People's Protection Units International (Kurdish: YPG Enternasyonal) is a military unit made up of foreign volunteers of the People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria. It was created in December 2016 as the Antifascist International Tabûr (AIT).[2] The unit is part of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Syrian Civil War.[3]

YPG International
YPG Tabûra Înternasyonal (ku) Participant in Syrian Civil War and Kurdish–Turkish conflict (Rojava conflict)
Flag of YPG International.
Active	19 December 2016 — present
Ideology	Democratic confederalism[1]
Area of operations	Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria
Part of	Syrian Democratic Forces • People's Protection Units
Formerly	Antifascist International Tabur (AIT)
Allies	Women's Protection Units Kurdistan Workers' Party International Freedom Battalion
Opponent(s)	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Turkey Syrian National Army
Battles and war(s)	Syrian Civil War Manbij offensive Raqqa campaign (2016–2017) Operation Olive Branch Deir ez-Zor campaign (2017–19) 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria
Website	Https://ypginternational.blackblogs.org

Establishment and campaigns

The brigade was founded in December 2016, and elected as its first commander the Italian-Moroccan Karim Marcello Franceschi. The battalion emerged from a proposal for foreign fighters to serve in an English-speaking unit, as opposed to the International Freedom Battalion, where the predominant language is Turkish.[4]

The unit is composed mostly of people from Western Europe, including communists, socialists and anarchists. The unit's initial statement mentioned their principles and causes, highlighting the common unity between communists and anarchists as an anti-fascist front against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The statement was released in several languages, including English, Italian, Spanish and Basque.

The unit took part in the 2016 Manbij offensive, the Raqqa campaign (2016-2017), the Deir ez-Zor campaign (2017-19), and the resistance to the 2018 Turkish invasion of Afrin and the 2019 Turkish offensive into northeastern Syria.

See also

• International Freedom Battalion
• International Brigades
• Foreign fighters in the Syrian and Iraqi Civil Wars
• Rojava conflict

References

1. "Rojava: New international battalion formed – Antifascist Internationalist Tabur!". Insurrection News. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
2. Andrew W., Griffin (21 December 2016). "AIT: Anti-fascist battalion comprised of internationalists forms in Rojava". Red Dirt Report. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
3. Seth, Harp (14 February 2017). "The Anarchists vs. the Islamic State". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
4. "La historia de tres amigos: Antifascistas internacionalistas de Rojava" (in Spanish). Rojava Azadi Madrid. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2018. Heval Marcelo se unió a la Resistencia de Kobanê, y escribió un libro sobre ello más tarde. Heval Çiya, por otro lado, llegó a Kobanê para trabajar en un proyecto hospitalario. Marcelo mantuvo el contacto con el Batallón Internacional por la Libertad después de regresar a Europa durante un tiempo. Entonces, cuando una vez más regresó a Rojava, él y Çiya se conocieron en un grupo de entrenamiento y decidieron formar un batallón antifascista. La dominación de algunas organizaciones turcas -las 3 predominantes, para ser más precisos- les hicieron sentir muy incómodos. Dijeron que los anarquista no eran muy bienvenidos y que uno necesitaría tener un conocimiento de la teoría marxistas, y seguirla para ser aceptado y apreciado. "No tienen conexiones con Europa, y no hacen ningún esfuerzo por construir ninguna. Lo más importante, todas las reuniones se celebraban en turco, que es el idioma predominante. Estos fueron algunos de los molestos asuntos que nos hicieron pensar."