Rojava conflict

Rojava conflict
YPG fighters celebrating a victory on their return to base
Date 19 July 2012 – ongoing (3 years, 6 months, 3 weeks and 5 days) Location Al-Hasakah Governorate, Ar-Raqqah Governorate,[1] Aleppo Governorate Syria Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Rojava[2] Syrian Democratic Forces Kurdistan Workers' Party International Freedom Battalion[3][4] Operation Inherent Resolve  United States  United Kingdom  Canada  Australia  Jordan  France [5]  Qatar  United Arab Emirates  Bahrain  Morocco  Saudi Arabia	Syrian Opposition Free Syrian Army[6] Kurds allied with groups of Euphrates Volcano since 12 September 2014 and Jaysh al-Thuwar.[7][8] al-Nusra Front Ghuraba al-Sham Ahrar ash-Sham	Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Army Syrian Air Force National Defense Force[9] Shabiha[10] Sootoro	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commanders and leaders
Salih Muslim Muhammad (PYD co-leader) Asya Abdullah (PYD co-leader) Talal Ali Silo (SDF Spokesperson)	Abu Louay al-Haleb[11] Nawaf Ragheb al-Bashir[12] Abu Ahmed (Jabhat Al Nusra Hasakah commander)[13]	Muhammad Fares (Qamishli Popular Committees leader)[9]	Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Self-declared Caliph) Abu Ayman al-Iraqi † (Head of Military Shura)[14][15]
Strength
YPG: 60,000-65,000 (claimed)[16] Jabhat al-Akrad: 7,000 (claimed)[17]	Free Syrian Army: 50,000 Islamic Front: 40,000-70,000	1,500 soldiers (54th special Forces)[18]	Unknown
Casualties and losses
3,000 Killed[19]	152–178 killed (until 16 July 2013; multiple claims)[20]	376 killed (2013; YPG claim)[21]	13,687 killed, 598 captured (2013–2015; YPG claim)[21][22][23][24]
156 civilians killed (until 18 July 2013)[25]

Rojava conflict (Syrian Civil War) Ras al-Ayn Internal Conflict Kurdish-Islamist Conflict First Kobani American Intervention Kurdish Riots Eastern al-Hasakah First Sarrin Western al-Hasakah First al-Hasakah Tell Abyad Second Sarrin Second al-Hasakah Second Kobani Al-Hawl Tishrin Dam Al-Qamishli Wusta

The Rojava Revolution, also known as the Rojava conflict, is a political upheaval, social revolution^[26] and military conflict taking place in Northern Syria, known as Rojava. During the Syrian Civil War, a coalition of Arab, Kurdish, Syriac and some Turkmen groups have sought to establish the Constitution of Rojava inside the de facto autonomous region, while military wings and allied militias have fought to maintain control of the region. The revolution has been characterized by the prominent role played by women both on the battlefield and within the newly formed political system, as well as the implementation of democratic confederalism, a form of grassroots democracy based on local assemblies.

Background

Rojava is the Kurdish name for the northern region of Syria. The area is strategically important, because it contains a large percentage of Syria's oil supplies.^[27] Most of the over 2 million Syrian Kurds live in Rojava, making up the majority of the area, followed by Syrian Arabs. There are also small communities of Assyrians and Turkmen. Ethnic tension is high, especially between Kurds and Arabs, due in large part to decades of "Arabization" which outlawed Kurdish language and music, evicted tens of thousands of Kurds from their homes and farmland and stripped over 120,000 of their citizenship altogether.

State discrimination

Repression of the Kurds and other ethnic minorities has been present since the creation of Syria by French mandate after World War I.^[28] In fact, the Syrian government (officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic) has never officially acknowledged the existence of the Kurds^[28] and in 1962 120,000 Syrian Kurds were stripped of their citizenship, leaving them stateless.^[29] The Kurdish language and culture have also been suppressed. The government attempted to resolve these issues in 2011 by granting all Kurds citizenship, but only an estimated 6,000 out of 150,000 stateless Kurds have been given nationality and most discriminatory regulations, including the ban on teaching Kurdish, are still on the books.^[30] Due to the Syrian Civil War that began in 2011, the government is no longer in a position to enforce these laws.

Qamishli uprising

In 2004, riots broke out against the government in the northeastern city of Qamishli. During a soccer match between a local Kurdish team and a visiting Arab team from Deir ez-Zor, some Arab fans brandished portraits of Saddam Hussein (who slaughtered tens of thousands of Kurds in Southern Kurdistan during the genocidal Al-Anfal Campaign in the 1980s). Tensions quickly escalated into open protests, with Kurds raising their flag and taking to the streets to demand cultural and political rights. Security forces fired into the crowd killing 6 Kurds, including 3 children. Protesters went on to burn down the Ba'ath Party's local political office. At least 30 and as many as 100 Kurds were killed by the government before the protests were quelled. Thousands of Kurds fled to Iraq afterwards, where a refugee camp was established. Occasional clashes between Kurdish protesters and government forces occurred in the following years.^[31][32]

Origins

Syrian uprising

In 2011 the Arab Spring spread to Syria. Similar to the beginning of the Tunisian Revolution, Syrian citizen Hasan Ali Akleh soaked himself in gasoline and set himself on fire in the northern city of Al-Hasakah. This inspired activists to call for a "Day of Rage", which ended up being sparsely attended, mostly because of fear of repression from the Syrian government. Days later, however, protests again took place, this time in response to the police beating of a shopkeeper.

Smaller protests continued, but it was on 7 March 2011, when thirteen political prisoners went on hunger strike, that momentum began to grow against the Assad government. Three days later dozens of Syrian Kurds went on hunger strike in solidarity.^[33] On 12 March, major protests took place in Al-Qamishli and Al-Hasakah to both protest the Assad regime and commemorate Kurdish Martyrs Day.^[34]

Protests grew over the months of March and April 2011. The Assad regime attempted to appease Kurds by promising to grant citizenship to thousands of Kurds, who until that time had been stripped of any legal status.^[35] By the summer, protests had only intensified, as did violent crackdowns by the Syrian government.

In August a coalition of opposition groups formed the Syrian National Council in hopes of creating a democratic, pluralistic alternative to the Assad regime. However, internal fighting and disagreement over politics and inclusion plagued the group from its early beginnings. In the fall of 2011 the popular uprising escalated to an armed conflict. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) began to coalesce and armed insurrection spread largely across the central and southern parts of Syria.

Kurds and government opposition negotiations

The National Movement of Kurdish Parties in Syria, a coalition of Syria's 12 Kurdish parties, boycotted a Syrian opposition summit in Antalya, Turkey on 31 May 2011, stating that "any such meeting held in Turkey can only be a detriment to the Kurds in Syria, because Turkey is against the aspirations of the Kurds."^[36]

During the August summit in Istanbul, which led to the creation of the Syrian National Council, only two of the parties in the National Movement of Kurdish Parties in Syria, the Kurdish Union Party and the Kurdish Freedom Party, attended the summit.^[37]

Erbil Agreement

Anti-government protests had been ongoing in the Kurdish-inhabited areas of Syria since March 2011, as part of the wider Syrian uprising, but clashes started after the opposition Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and Kurdish National Council (KNC) signed a seven-point agreement on 11 June 2012 in Erbil under the auspice of Iraqi Kurdistan president Massoud Barzani. This agreement, however, failed to be implemented and so a new cooperation agreement between the two sides was signed on 12 July which saw the creation of the Kurdish Supreme Committee as a governing body of all Kurdish-controlled territories in Syria.^[38][39][40]

YPG claims territory

The People's Protection Units (YPG) captured the city of Kobanî on 19 July 2012, followed by the capture of Amuda and Efrîn on 20 July,^[41] thus entering the Syrian Civil War as belligerent. The KNC and PYD afterwards formed a joint leadership council to run the captured cities. The cities fell without any major clashes, as Syrian security forces withdrew without any major resistance.^[41] The Syrian Army pulled out to fight elsewhere.^[42]

The YPG forces continued with their advancement and on 21 July captured Al-Malikiyah (Kurdish: Dêrika Hemko‎), which is located 10 kilometers from the Turkish border.^[43] The rebels at the time also intended to capture Qamishli, the largest Syrian city with a Kurdish majority.^[44] On the same day, the Syrian government attacked a patrol of Kurdish YPG members and wounded one fighter.^[45] The next day it was reported that Kurdish forces were still fighting for Al-Malikiyah, where one young Kurdish activist was killed after government security forces opened fire on protesters. The YPG also took control over the towns of Ra's al-'Ayn (Kurdish: Serê Kaniyê‎) and Al-Darbasiyah (Kurdish: Dirbêsî‎), after the security and political units withdrew from these areas, following an ultimatum issued by the Kurds. On the same day, clashes erupted in Qamishli between YPG and government forces in which one Kurdish fighter was killed and two were wounded along with one government official.^[46]

The ease with which Kurdish forces captured the towns and the government troops pulled back was speculated to be due to the government reaching an agreement with the Kurds so military forces from the area could be freed up to engage opposition forces in the rest of the country.^[47] On 24 July, the PYD announced that Syrian security forces withdrew from the small Kurdish city of 16,000 of Al-Ma'bada (Kurdish: Girkê Legê‎), located between Al-Malikiyah and the Turkish borders. The YPG forces afterwards took control of all government institutions.^[48]

Popular protest continued in Rojava through 2011 and into the spring of 2012 though most Kurds and other Northern Syrians did not join the FSA because of disagreements over Kurdish representation in a future Syria.^[49]

Self-governed Rojava established

On 1 August 2012 Assad forces on the periphery of the country are pulled into the intensifying conflict taking place in Aleppo. During this large withdrawl from the north, the People's Protection Units (YPG), a pro-Kurdish militia that formed after the 2004 al-Qamishli riots^[50] took control of at least parts of Qamishlo, Efrin, Amude, Terbaspi and Ayn El Arab with very little conflict or casualties.^[51]

On 2 August 2012, the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change announced that most Kurdish dominated cities in Syria, with the exception of Qamishli and Hasaka, were no longer controlled by government forces and were now being governed by Kurdish political parties.^[52] In Qamishli, government military and police forces remained in their barracks and administration officials in the city allowed the Kurdish flag to be raised.^[53]

It was reported in August that the Kurds in northern controlled Syria had set up local committees and checkpoints to search cars. The border crossing between northeastern Syria and Iraq was no longer occupied by government forces. Kurds stated that they would defend their towns if government or opposition forces attempted to enter them. In some areas of Qamishli, government checkpoints were still active, however, Kurds denied cooperation with the Syrian government and stated that the troops remained in their checkpoints with hopes of avoiding a military confrontation.^[54] In the same month, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) successfully bombed the government's intelligence center in the city.^[55]

After months of de facto rule, the PYD officially announced its regional autonomy on 9 January 2014. Elections were held, popular assemblies established and the Constitution of Rojava was approved. Since then, residents have been organizing local assemblies, re-opening schools, establishing community centers and pushing back ISIS to gain control of further territory. They see their model of grassroots democracy as a model that can be implemented throughout the country in a post-Assad Syria.

Social revolution

After declaring autonomy, grassroots organizers, politicians and other community members have radically changed the social and political make up of the area. The extreme laws restricting independent political organizing, women's freedom, religious and cultural expression and the discriminatory policies carried out by the Assad regime have been abolished. In its place, a constitution guaranteeing the cultural, religious and political freedom of all people has been established. The constitution also explicitly states the equal rights and freedom of women and also "mandates public institutions to work towards the elimination of gender discrimination."^[26]

The political and social changes taking place in Rojava have in large part been inspired by the libertarian socialist politics of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan.^[26]

Cooperative economy

The vast majority of the economy continues to support forces fighting Assad forces, Islamist forces and now on occasion Turkish forces. However, the canton administration has been working to support worker cooperatives.^[56]

Direct democracy

The Rojava cantons are governed through a combination of district and civil councils. District councils consist of 300 members as well as two elected co-presidents- one man and one woman. District councils decide and carry out administrative and economic duties such as garbage collection, land distribution and cooperative enterprises.^[57] Civil councils exist to promote the social and political rights within the community.

Ethnic minority rights

Closely related to religious freedom and the protection of religious minorities is the protection of ethnic minorities. Kurds now have the right to study their language freely as do Assyrians. For the first time, a Kurdish curriculum has been introduced to the public school system.

Residents are also now free to express their culture freely. Culture and music centers have formed, hosting dance classes, music lessons and choir practice.^[58]

In some areas, there is an ethnic minority quota in addition to the gender quota for councils.^[59]

Restorative Justice

The criminal justice is undergoing significant reforms, moving away from a punitive approach under the Assad regime to one based on the principles of restorative justice. Reconciliation Committees have replaced the regime court system in several cities.^[60] Committees are representative of the ethnic diversity in their respective area. For example, the committee in Tal Abyad has members from the Arabic, Kurdish, Turkmen and Armenian communities.^[61]

Women's rights

Repression of Women Under the Assad Regime

Under the Assad regime, women face extreme forms of repression, violence and discrimination. Sexual assault and domestic violence occur at very high rates, with little protection under the law or through the courts. Conservative social norms restricts women's movement and participation in public life. Economic opportunities had begun to improve to a certain degree, though since the civil war broke out the economy has collapsed in many areas.^[62]

The civil war has also brought upon new levels of violence against women with the use of rape as a weapon of war by both the Assad regime as well as militant Islamist groups such as the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front.

Jineology and the Rojava Revolution

Feminism, specifically Jineology (the science of women), is central to the social revolution taking place in Rojava. Much of the focus of the revolution has been addressing the extreme levels of violence which women in the area have endured as well as increasing women leadership in all political institutions.

All YPG and YPJ fighters and Asayish forces study Jineology as part of their training and is also taught in community centers.^[63]

Women's Houses

In every town and village under YPG control, a women's house is established. These are community centers run by women, providing services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and other forms of harm. These services include counseling, family mediation, legal support, and coordinating safe houses for women and children.^[64] Classes on economic independence and social empowerment programs are also held at women's houses.^[65]

Banning of Child Marriages and Honor Killings

Efforts are also being made to reduce cases of underage marriage, polygamy and honor killings both socially as well as through legislation forbidding these practices.^[66]

Women's Leadership

A key component of the direct democracy model being enacted in Rojava is co-leadership. Every major position in both civil and military institutions are lead by a man and a woman. This is to ensure gender balance in power and decision-making, as well as a general level of accountability for the position as it requires two people to reach agreement on decisions made.

A 40% gender quota required of all councils in order for a vote to take place.^[64]

Religious freedom

Christian Assyrians, Muslim Kurds and others have worked together both in fighting regime forces and Islamist groups as well as in managing political affairs. The right to religious expression is also safeguarded in the constitution. Because of this as well as the extreme hostility towards religious minorities in Islamist controlled areas has led to a large migration of religious minorities to Rojava.^[67]

Combatants

There are four major forces involved in the Rojava Revolution. The People's Protection Units are working with the PYD and other political parties to establish self-rule in Rojava. Syrian government forces still maintain rule in some areas of Rojava under the leadership of the Assad regime. A collection of Islamic forces, the largest being ISIS are fighting to rule the region by Sharia law. Finally, there are several militias under the general banner of the Free Syrian Army whose intentions and alliances have differed and shifted over time. At the moment, most FSA fighters are working with the YPG against Islamic forces and the Syrian government.

YPG-Syrian Government relations

While conflict between the YPG and Syrian Government has not been as active as fighting against Islamist forces, there have been several conflicts between the two forces. Territory once controlled by the Syrian government in Qamishli and al-Hasakah have both been lost to YPG forces.

YPG and FSA relations

The relationship between the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) has been one of tentative cooperation. Both are opposed to the Assad regime and ISIS, however clashes have taken place. Recently, the two forces have been working together to battle ISIS under the name of Euphrates Volcano.

YPG-Islamist conflict

On 4 May 2013, YPG forces and Jihadist militants, including Al Nusra, clashed in areas close to the cities of Hasaka and Ras al-Ain.^[68] Reports seemed to suggest that FSA forces were arming Arab tribes in the town of Tell Tamer; encouraging them to confront Kurdish groups. Despite hit and run attacks which led to the deaths of several YPG members as well as civilians, YPG forces reportedly held off the armed groups.^[69]

YPG forces have clashed heavily with Islamist forces. Most notable have been the Siege of Kobani and more recently the Al-Hasakah Offensive and Tell Abyad Offensive. The YPG has been one of the most reliable and effective fighting forces against Islamic groups such as ISIL and al-Nusra Front.

Internal conflict

The majority of tension and conflict in Rojava has been between the YPG and Islamist groups. However, there has also been internal conflict between various Kurdish political parties and militias. This was particularly true at the beginning of the revolution, while those tensions have largely subsided as the autonomous administrations of Rojava have become more established and the urgency for a united front against Islamic forces has developed.

YPG-Turkish Conflict

Turkey has long observed the PYD as a Syrian extension of the Turkish pro-Kurdish network PKK, and has therefore taken a hardline against group insisting that they will not allow a Kurdish state to form along their southern border with Syria. Following major YPG successes in 2015, notably the capture of Tell Abyad, Turkey began indiscriminately targeting YPG forces in northern Syria.^[24]

In 2016, following the capture of Tishrin Dam, allowing the SDF to cross the River Euphrates, a proclaimed 'red line' by Turkey. Turkish forces bombed the Kurdish YPG headquarters in Tell Abyad destroying three armoured vehicles and injuring two Kurdish fighters.^[70] The following day, 21 January 2016, Turkish troops crossed the border with Syria and entered the ISIS-controlled Syrian border town of Jarabulus which the YPG had been planning on capturing as part of an offensive to unite their areas of control into one continuous banner of territory. The lack of ISIS resistance to the Turkish incursion has raised speculation of co-operation between the Turkish state and the ISIS terror organisation.^[71]

Towns under semi-autonomous rule

In November 2015, the following towns were under YPG control:

1. Afrin (Efrîn)^[72]
2. Al-Darbasiyah (Dirbêsî)^[46]
3. Al-Jawadiyah (Çil Axa)^[73]
4. Al-Ma'bada (Girkê Legê)^[48]
5. Al-Malikiyah (Dêrika Hemko)^[72]
6. Al-Qahtaniyah (Tirbespî)^[74][75]
7. Ali Kuz (Aali Kôz)^[76]
8. Ashrafiyeh (Eşrefiye, district of Aleppo)^[77]
9. Amuda (Amûdê)^[72]
10. Ayn al-Arab (Kobanê)^[72]
11. Ain Diwar (Eyndîwer)^[78]
12. Jindires (Cindirês)^[74]
13. Rajo (Raco)^[79]
14. Ra's al-'Ayn (Serêkanî)^[72]
15. Sheikh Maqsood (Şêx Meqsûd, district of Aleppo)^[77]
16. Tel Adas (Girzîro)^[80][81]
17. Rumeylan^[75]
18. Tell Tamer (Girê Xurma^[82]) also known as Tal Tamr or as Tal Tamir^[83]
19. Al-Yarubiya (Tel Koçer)
20. Suluk or Saluq ^[84]
21. Tell Abyad (Girê spî)^[85]
22. Ayn Issa (Bozanî)^[86]
23. Sarrin (Zêrîn)^[87][88]
24. Al-Hawl^[89]
25. Al-Qamishli (Qamishlo) under control 80%

According to the Jerusalem Post, the YPG controls the city of Afrin along with its 360 surrounding villages.^[90]

See also

• Cities and towns during the Syrian Civil War
• Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict (2013–present)

References

Rojava articles History History of the Kurds Syrian Civil War Rojava Revolution Geography Administrative divisions Jazira Canton Kobanî Canton Afrin Canton Kurdistan Politics Government Constitution Military (YPG) Security Sutoro Economy Economy Oil reserves Culture Anthem Demographics Flag People Category

Syrian Civil War Part of the Arab Winter   Background Timeline Background 1963 coup d'état 1966 coup d'état 1970 "Corrective Revolution" 1979–82 Islamic uprising 1999 Latakia protests 2000–01 Damascus Spring 2004 al-Qamishli riots Syrian occupation of Lebanon 2005 Damascus Declaration Human rights in Syria 2011 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb Siege of Daraa Siege of Baniyas Talkalakh siege Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh Jisr ash-Shugur operation Siege of Hama Siege of Homs Jabal al-Zawiya operation Siege of Latakia Deir ez-Zor Clashes Rif Dimashq clashes Battle of Zabadani Battle of Douma Daraa Governorate clashes First Battle of Rastan Shayrat and Tiyas airbase ambush Idlib Governorate clashes Jabal al-Zawiya massacres 2012 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) al-Midan bombing Second Battle of Rastan First Idlib operation First Battle of Idlib First Battle of al-Qusayr Second Idlib operation Battle of Taftanaz Third Battle of Rastan Houla massacre Battle of al-Haffah Al-Qubeir massacre Battle of Tremseh Battle of Damascus Damascus bombing Battle of Aleppo Battle of Anadan Siege of Base 46 First Rif Dimashq offensive Darayya massacre Battle of Khirbet al-Joz Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man First Siege of Wadi Deif Battle of Harem Second Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Darayya Aqrab massacre First Hama offensive Halfaya massacre Battle of Darayya Quneitra Governorate clashes Talbiseh bakery massacre 2013 (Jan–Apr • May–Dec) Battle of Safira Battle of Shadadeh Damascus offensive Battle of Raqqa Daraa offensive Third Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Jdaidet al-Fadl Ghouta chemical attack Al-Qusayr offensive Second Battle of al-Qusayr Bayda and Baniyas massacres Second Hama offensive Hatla massacre Khan al-Assal chemical attack Khan al-Assal massacre Adra massacre Battle of Ras al-Ayn Fourth Rif Dimashq offensive Aleppo offensive 2014 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) First Inter-Rebel Conflict Battle of Markada First Deir ez-Zor Offensive Battle of Mork 2nd Daraa Offensive Maan massacre Al-Otaiba ambush 4th Idlib Offensive Battle of Hosn 2nd Latakia Offensive Battle of Al-Malihah Kafr Zita chemical attack Second Siege of Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Offensive Battle of Arsal First Battle of the Shaer gas field Eastern Syria Offensive Battle for Tabqa Air base 3rd Hama Offensive Quneitra Offensive 6th Rif Dimashq offensive Siege of Kobanî 3rd Daraa offensive 2nd Al-Safira offensive Idlib Raid Second Inter-Rebel Conflict Second Battle of the Shaer gas field Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 2nd Deir ez-Zor offensive 2015 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) An-26 crash 4th Daraa Offensive Southern Syria Offensive Eastern al-Hasakah offensive 1st Battle of Sarrin 2nd Battle of Sarrin Battle of Bosra 5th Idlib Offensive Second Battle of Idlib Battle of Nasib Border Crossing 2nd Battle of Yarmouk Camp Western al-Hasakah offensive Palmyra offensive (May 2015) Tell Abyad offensive Kobanî massacre Quneitra offensive Northwestern Syria offensive Aleppo offensive Southern Al-Hasakah offensive Homs offensive (November–December 2015) Tishrin Dam offensive 2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown 2016 (Jan–Jul Deir ez-Zor massacre Sayyidah Zaynab bombings Spillover Spillover into Lebanon Lebanese–Syrian border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian Embassy Bombing Northern Lebanon Clashes Syrian-Turkish border clashes December 2011 Syrian–Turkish border clash Turkish aircraft shootdown October 2012 Syrian-Turkish border clashes Reyhanlı bombings January 2014 Turkish airstrike in Syria Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents Jordanian-Syrian border clashes April 2014 Jordanian–Syrian border airstrike Spillover into Iraq Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi–Syrian border airstrike   Parties involved Syria Syrian Government Syrian Ba'ath Party Army & Militias Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Arab Army Syrian Arab Air Force Syrian Arab Navy National Defense Force Jaysh al-Sha'bi Lijan militias Ba'ath Brigades al-Abbas Brigade PFLP-GC Syrian Resistance Other groups Support for the government Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Basij Revolutionary Guards Russia's involvement military intervention Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Opposition (SRCC) NCSR Government National Coalition Local Co-ordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Paramilitaries Free Syrian Army Syrian Turkmen Brigades Islamic Front Army of Mujahedeen Ajnad al-Sham Fastaqim Kama Umirt Smaller groups Support for the opposition American-led intervention American rescue mission Jordanian intervention Qatari involvement Saudi Arabia Turkey Rojava (Kurds) Rojava government Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council (Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union) SDF forces People's Protection Units (Syriac Military Council) Jabhat al-Akrad Asayish Sutoro Salafi groups Jaish al-Fatah Al-Nusra Front Sham Legion Ahrar ash-Sham Other Salafists Muhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance Jabhat Ansar al-Din ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] Military of ISIL ISIL-allied groups Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade Jaysh al-Jihad   People Ammar Abdulhamid Ali al-Abdallah Adnan al-Aroor al-Assad family Bashar Maher Rifaat Rami Makhlouf Hafez Makhlouf Riad al-Asaad Anwar al-Bunni Fahd Jassem al-Freij Haitham al-Maleh Moaz al-Khatib Kamal al-Labwani Hamza al-Khateeb Tal al-Mallohi Fida al-Sayed Riad al-Turk Khaled Khoja Ammar al-Qurabi Suheir Atassi Ali Sadreddine Al-Bayanouni Aref Dalila Farid Ghadry Burhan Ghalioun Razan Ghazzawi Ghassan Hitto Salim Idris Randa Kassis Abdul Halim Khaddam Michel Kilo Bassma Kodmani Ali Habib Mahmud Ali Mahmoud Othman Ibrahim Qashoush Dawoud Rajiha Yassin al-Haj Saleh Bouthaina Shaaban Adib Shishakly Abdulbaset Sieda Riad Seif Fadwa Soliman Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid Yaser Tabbara Razan Zaitouneh Rami Jarrah Abdurrahman Mustafa   Issues Peace process Related topics Issues Casualties Chemical weapons Cities and towns Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International reactions International demonstrations and protests Massacres Refugees (European migrant crisis) Sectarianism and minorities Spillover into Lebanon Syrian reactions Peace process Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN Supervision Mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals on Syria 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II Conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement 2015 Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Related topics 2014 Syrian detainee report Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian media coverage The Return to Homs Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait Category Commons Wikinews

Anarchism-related revolution Paris Commune (1871) Strandzha Commune (1903) Mexican Revolution (1910) Free Territory (1919–21) Tambov Rebellion (1920–21) Kronstadt Rebellion (1921) Third Russian Revolution (1918–22) Spanish Revolution (1936–37) Regional Defence Council of Aragon (1936–37) Revolutionary Catalonia (1936–37) Zapatista Uprising (1994) Rojava Revolution (2012-current)