Omran for Strategic Studies An independent think tank and policy center focusing on presenting an objective understanding of Syria and the region to become a reference for public policies impacting the region. Omran began in November 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey. It publishes studies and policy briefs regarding Syrian and regional affairs in the areas of politics, economic development, and local administration. Omran also conducts round-table discussions, seminars, and workshops that promote a more systematic and methodical culture of decision making among future leaders of Syria. Omran’s work support decision making mechanisms, provide practical solutions and policy recommendations to decision makers, identify challenges within the Syrian context, and foresee scenarios and alternative solutions. Website: www.OmranStudies.org Email: [email protected] First Published in Arabic on October 31, 2017 Publish date in English: January 23, 2018 © All rights reserved to Omran for Strategic Studies Translated by Obaida Hitto Military and Security Structures of the Autonomous Administration in Syria Definitions and Abbreviations PYD Democratic Union Party SDF Syrian Democratic Forces Democratic Autonomous Administration: Autonomous Administration is DAA what the members of the DAA call their territory, but the official title remains as it is described above. PKK Kurdistan Worker's Party YPG People's Protection Units YPJ Women's Protection Units HPX Self-Defense Units HPC Civilians' Defense Forces (Hêzên Parastina Cewherî) HPG People’s Defense Forces Hêzên Antî Teror Asayîşa Rojavayê Kurdistanê (HAT) or Special HAT Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Units IFB, Turkish version International Freedom Battalion, also known as Enternasyonalist Özgürlük if IFB – EOT Taburu DBK Kurdistan Supreme Committee MGRK People’s Council of West Kurdistan KDP Kurdish Democratic Party PUK Patriotic Union of Kurdistan ENKS Syrian Kurdish National Council MLKP Marxist Leninist Communist Party Jazira (Cizre) A province of the DAA; the term “canton” means province. Canton TIKKO Liberation Army of the Workers and Peasants of Turkey RMCO Roj Mine Control Organization Movement for a Democratic Society: This is the umbrella organization of TEV-DEM the PYD. KCK Kurdistan Communities Union MFS Syriac Military Council Sotooro Christian forces, allied with the YPG Pro Regime Sotooro Christian forces, allied with the regime Jabhat Al Nusra, Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria, which changed its name to JN, JFS, HTS Jabhat Fateh al Sham and then to Hayat Tahrir al Sham IS, ISIS, Daesh The so-called “Islamic State” CENTCOM The United States Central Command _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ عمران للدراسات اﻻستراتيجية Omran for Strategic Studies page:1 Military and Security Structures of the Autonomous Administration in Syria Contents Definitions and Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. 1 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 Political Backgrounds and Military Formations ............................................................................ 10 Part I: Military Structures in the DAA .............................................................................................. 14 First: People’s Protection Units ........................................................................................................ 14 1. People’s Protection Units, Yekîneyên Parastina Gel (YPG) ................................................ 15 2. Women’s Protection Units, Yekîneyên Parastina Jinê (YPJ) ............................................... 15 3. Human and Administrative Structure ................................................................................... 16 4. Restructuring the YPG .......................................................................................................... 20 Second: Auxiliary Foreign Forces of YPG and YPJ ......................................................................... 24 Third: Self-Defense Forces (HPX) ................................................................................................... 25 Mandatory Training Courses Held in Jazira Canton ..................................................................... 27 Military Discipline Units .............................................................................................................. 29 Self-Defense in Afrin .................................................................................................................... 31 Self-Defense in Kobani Canton .................................................................................................... 33 Fourth: Christian Forces ................................................................................................................... 35 Sotooro Forces of the Syriac Union Party..................................................................................... 35 Sotooro - The Regime ................................................................................................................... 36 Assyrian Forces ............................................................................................................................. 36 PART TWO: Internal Security Forces: Asayish Rojava............................................................. 37 First: Central Administration: Asayish Rojava ................................................................................. 37 Conditions for Joining ................................................................................................................... 40 Second: Traffic Police “Traffic Rojava" ........................................................................................... 40 Third: Counter Terrorism Forces (SWAT): HAT ............................................................................. 41 Fourth: Women’s Asayish ................................................................................................................ 41 Fifth: Civilians' Defense Forces “Hêzên Parastina Cewherî” (HPC) ................................................ 41 Sixth: Other organizations ................................................................................................................ 43 Checkpoint security ...................................................................................................................... 43 Asayish General Security .............................................................................................................. 43 Anti-Organized Crime Branch ...................................................................................................... 44 Asayish Demining Specialists and the Rojava Mine Control Organization ................................. 44 Part Three: The Military Coalition: Syrian Democratic Forces .............................................. 45 Formation and Organizational Structure ........................................................................................... 45 Syrian Democratic Forces Numbers ................................................................................................. 46 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ عمران للدراسات اﻻستراتيجية Omran for Strategic Studies page:2 Military and Security Structures of the Autonomous Administration in Syria SDF Structure ................................................................................................................................ 48 Forming the Regiments ................................................................................................................. 50 Second: Main Military Forces in the SDF ........................................................................................ 51 1. Founding Forces .................................................................................................................... 51 2. Forces that joined after SDF formation ................................................................................. 53 3. Elite Forces allied with SDF ................................................................................................. 54 Third: External Support .................................................................................................................... 54 Armament Support ........................................................................................................................ 54 American Support to the SDF ....................................................................................................... 55 Foreign Military Presence ............................................................................................................. 56 Fourth: Internal Relations of the Syrian Democratic Forces ............................................................ 58 Conflict with the Elite Forces ....................................................................................................... 59 Conflict Between the YPG and the Sanadeed Army ...................................................................