Syrian Democratic Forces military councils

Flag of the Syrian Democratic Forces

Throughout 2016, the Syrian Democratic Forces have established four separate military councils (three in the Shahba region) in order to facilitate and conduct military operations. As of December 2016, the four military councils are the Manbij Military Council, the al-Bab Military Council, the Jarabulus Military Council, and (outside of Shahba) the Deir ez-Zor Military Council.

Manbij

Fighters of the Euphrates Liberation Brigade, part of the Manbij Military Council, in Manbij

The Manbij Military Council (MMC) is a coalition established by several groups in the SDF, the Northern Sun Battalion and the Seljuk Brigade, on 2 April 2016 at the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates. The military council aimed to capture the city of Manbij across the river and many of the council members are local fighters from the surrounding areas.

History

The Manbij offensive has included the Manbij Military Council, US special operations forces, and minimal YPG and YPJ involvement assisted by US-led coalition airstrikes. The SDF fighters are mostly Arabs. During the offensive, an SDF fighter gave his perspective as "we have Arabs, Kurds, nobody knows how many exactly, we all work under the SDF-forces".^[6]

On 5 April 2016, a civilian council was formed in the town of Sarrin by individuals originally from Manbij who had fled when Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took over. The council consists of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, and Circassians,^[7] and was created to administer Manbij after its capture.^[8]

The commander of the Manbij Military Council, Abu Layla, died of wounds he suffered from gunshots in the Manbij front against the Islamic State. He was succeeded by Abu Adel.

On 19 August 2016, the Manbij Military Council issued a statement which announced that it was taking over the security of Manbij city center and villages from the YPG and YPJ, though some of their fighters remained to continue to provide training and other support duties.^[9][10]

In early November 2016, a 'battalion' from the Sham Legion defected and joined the MMC.^[11]

On 17 November 2016, the rest of the YPG and YPJ fighters left Manbij, leaving the security of the area and training of troops fully to the council.^[12]

On 2 March 2017, the Manbij Military Council handed over a vast expanse of territory west of Manbij to the Syrian Army to create a buffer zone between the SDF and Turkish-backed rebels. They released a statement saying that "Defending the civilians and protecting them from the adverse impact of the war, ensuring the security of Manbij and frustrating the invasion plans of the Turkish army against Syrian soil are the goals we have taken for all the peoples living on the lands of Syria,"^[13] and that

"To reach these objectives [the defense of Manbij] we have transferred, after reaching a new alliance with Russia, the defence of the line to the west of Manbij – where the villages between us and the gang groups [FSA, Ahrar al-Sham] affiliated to the Turkish army are – to Syrian state forces."^[14]

and

The SDF ceded this territory west of Manbij because it is clear that there are limits to the extent that the United States will intervene on behalf of the SDF's interests west of the Euphrates.^[13]

On 17 April 2017, it was announced that 200 fighters from the council would participate in the Battle of Tabqa to take al-Thawra, part of the larger Raqqa campaign.^[5] On 24 May 2017, an additional 2,200 fighters were sent for the fourth phase of the campaign.^[15]

Al-Bab Al-Bab Military Council مجلس الباب العسكري Participant in the Syrian Civil War Active 14 August 2016 – present Groups Al-Bab Revolutionary Front[16] Qebasin Martyrs Brigade Army of Revolutionaries Seljuq Brigade Al-Bab Countryside Martyrs Battalion Free Arima Battalion Martyr Silo al-Rai Brigade Kieba Martyrs Brigade Al-Bab Military Council Female Battalion[17] Headquarters Manbij & Afrin Area of operations Shahba region Battles and wars Western al-Bab offensive (2016) Western al-Bab offensive (October 2016)[18] Battle of al-Bab (2016) The al-Bab Military Council was formed on 14 August 2016 by seven small SDF-affiliated factions with the goal of capturing the city of al-Bab, west of Manbij and "a symbol of the revolution and the foundation for a democratic, free and plural Syria". The military council called for US support, and later Afrin-based SDF forces launched the an offensive in the countryside, west of al-Bab.[19] On 31 October 2016, an all-female battalion was established within the al-Bab Military Council.[17]

Jarabulus Jarabulus Military Council مجلس جرابلس العسكري Participant in the Syrian Civil War Flag of the Jarablus Military Council Active August 2016 – present Groups Euphrates Jarabulus Battalions[20] Free Jarabulus Battalion[20] Jarabulus Hawks Brigades[20] Leaders Abdel Sattar al-Jader †[21] Col. Ali Hijo[22] Massoud Allo[23] Muhammad Ahmed[24] Ahmed al-Jader[24] Headquarters Manbij Area of operations Manbij District, Aleppo Governorate, Syria Battles and wars Manbij offensive Jarabulus offensive (2016) The Jarabulus Military Council is an SDF coalition in the Shahba Region formed by local fighters from the city of Jarabulus and the surrounding areas, who had fled from ISIL.[25] Abdel Sattar al-Jader, the initial leader of the Jarabulus Military Council and the commander of the Euphrates Jarabulus Brigades, was assassinated just prior to the Turkish military intervention in the Syrian Civil War, and the SDF have accused Turkish military intelligence of organizing the assassination.[21]

Deir ez-Zor Deir ez-Zor Military Council مجلس دير الزور العسكري Participant in the Syrian Civil War Fighters of the council during the Raqqa offensive (2016–17). Active 8 December 2016 – present Leaders Rashid Abu Khawla[26] (also known as Ahmad Abu Khawla; general commander)[27][28] Khalid Awad †[29][30] Area of operations Raqqa Governorate Hasakah Governorate Deir ez-Zor Governorate Size 500+[31] Allies Elite Forces Al-Sanadid Forces People's Protection Units Martyr Amara Arab Women's Battalion[32] Battles and wars Raqqa offensive (2016–present) Rashid Abu Khawla,[26] also known as Ahmad Abu Khawla, serves as general commander of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council.[27] On 8 December 2016 the Deir ez-Zor Military Council was created during a SDF conference in Hasaka. The founding members consist of remnants of the former Free Syrian Army council of the same name, expelled from the city by the Islamic State in 2014, having joined the SDF in November 2016.[33][34] On 11 December, the council stated that after completing the second phase of the Northern Raqqa offensive they will redirect their focus to Deir ez-Zor Governorate.[28]

References