Syrian Kurdish-led force likely to capture Raqqa from Islamic State: AP
Posted on March 11, 2017 by Editorial Staff in Kurdistan

Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces SDF in Deir al-Zor province, northern Syria, Feb. 21, 2017. Photo: Reuters
BEIRUT,— Backed by the United States, a multi-ethnic group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces is likely to lead the operation to capture the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, the Islamic State group’s de facto capital.
The group has been the most effective and trusted force by the United States to battle IS in the northern and eastern parts of Syria. The SDF was predominantly Kurdish but over the past months, more Arabs have been recruited by the group ahead of the battle for Raqqa which has a predominantly Arab population. Here’s a look at the group:
What Is The Syrian Democratic Forces?
A Kurdish-led alliance that includes Arab tribesmen and Christian fighters. The group which was founded in October 2015 has tens of thousands of fighters almost equally divided between Arabs and Kurds, according to Brig. Gen. Hussam al-Awwak, an Arab who heads public relations at SDF.
Cihan Sheikh Ahmed, an SDF spokeswoman, said the coalition has between 50,000 and 54,000 fighters, and more than half of them are Arabs.
With the help of American advisers and U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, the SDF has captured much of northern Syria and since November has been working to isolate the city of Raqqa. But the main Kurdish militia in the group is seen as a terrorist organization by Turkey, a NATO member which also has its sights on Raqqa.
The top U.S. commander in the campaign against IS, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, said earlier this month that the SDF comprises 40 percent Kurdish fighters and some 60 percent are from the Syrian Arab coalition. Townsend said that of the Arab fighters in the SDF more than 3,000 have been trained by the Americans.
The group is likely to lead the battle into the northern city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS, in the coming weeks.
The SDF is now backed by hundreds of U.S. Marines and Rangers who will provide artillery fire support as they advance toward Raqqa.
The SDF controls Syrian Kurdistan, nearly 19 percent of Syria’s territory according to the Europe-based Center of Kurdish Studies.
Who Are The Main Groups Among The SDF?
The SDF consists of groups from different ethnic groups and religions who are mostly from northern and eastern Syria.
The main groups include the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG and the Women’s Protection Units, or YPJ. The coalition also includes predominantly Arab factions such as Army of the Revolutionaries, the Northern Sun Battalion, Euphrates Volcano, Raqqa Revolutionaries Brigade and Sanadid Forces. The Christian Syriac Military Council is also part of the SDF.
U.S regards the Kurdish PYD party and its powerful military wing YPG of Syrian Kurdistan, which considered as the backbone of SDF, as key ally against Islamic State and the most effective fighting force against IS in Syria and has provided them with arms, air support as well as the military advisers. The Kurdish militia has seized swathes of Syria from IS.
Who Are The Main Backers Of The SDF?
The U.S.-led coalition has been the main backer of the SDF, providing them with weapons and training.
The U.S. already has some 500 advisers working with the SDF in addition to a force of 400 that arrived more recently, according to Air Force Col. John Dorrian said. He said the troops include U.S. Army Rangers already in Syria.
French and German advisers are also known to be helping the SDF in Syria.
Syrian Kurdistan’s ruling PYD has established three autonomous zones, or Cantons of Jazeera, Kobani and Afrin and a Kurdish government across Syrian Kurdistan (northern Syria) in 2013. On March 17, 2016 Syria’s Kurds declared a federal region in Syrian Kurdistan. On Dec. 30, 2016 Syrian Kurds approved a blueprint for a system of federal government in Syrian Kurdistan, reaffirming their plans for autonomy in areas they have controlled during the civil war.
http://ekurd.net/syrian-kurdish-capture-raqqa-2017-03-11
Posted on March 11, 2017 by Editorial Staff in Kurdistan

Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces SDF in Deir al-Zor province, northern Syria, Feb. 21, 2017. Photo: Reuters
BEIRUT,— Backed by the United States, a multi-ethnic group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces is likely to lead the operation to capture the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, the Islamic State group’s de facto capital.
The group has been the most effective and trusted force by the United States to battle IS in the northern and eastern parts of Syria. The SDF was predominantly Kurdish but over the past months, more Arabs have been recruited by the group ahead of the battle for Raqqa which has a predominantly Arab population. Here’s a look at the group:
What Is The Syrian Democratic Forces?
A Kurdish-led alliance that includes Arab tribesmen and Christian fighters. The group which was founded in October 2015 has tens of thousands of fighters almost equally divided between Arabs and Kurds, according to Brig. Gen. Hussam al-Awwak, an Arab who heads public relations at SDF.
Cihan Sheikh Ahmed, an SDF spokeswoman, said the coalition has between 50,000 and 54,000 fighters, and more than half of them are Arabs.
With the help of American advisers and U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, the SDF has captured much of northern Syria and since November has been working to isolate the city of Raqqa. But the main Kurdish militia in the group is seen as a terrorist organization by Turkey, a NATO member which also has its sights on Raqqa.
The top U.S. commander in the campaign against IS, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, said earlier this month that the SDF comprises 40 percent Kurdish fighters and some 60 percent are from the Syrian Arab coalition. Townsend said that of the Arab fighters in the SDF more than 3,000 have been trained by the Americans.
The group is likely to lead the battle into the northern city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS, in the coming weeks.
The SDF is now backed by hundreds of U.S. Marines and Rangers who will provide artillery fire support as they advance toward Raqqa.
The SDF controls Syrian Kurdistan, nearly 19 percent of Syria’s territory according to the Europe-based Center of Kurdish Studies.
Who Are The Main Groups Among The SDF?
The SDF consists of groups from different ethnic groups and religions who are mostly from northern and eastern Syria.
The main groups include the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG and the Women’s Protection Units, or YPJ. The coalition also includes predominantly Arab factions such as Army of the Revolutionaries, the Northern Sun Battalion, Euphrates Volcano, Raqqa Revolutionaries Brigade and Sanadid Forces. The Christian Syriac Military Council is also part of the SDF.
U.S regards the Kurdish PYD party and its powerful military wing YPG of Syrian Kurdistan, which considered as the backbone of SDF, as key ally against Islamic State and the most effective fighting force against IS in Syria and has provided them with arms, air support as well as the military advisers. The Kurdish militia has seized swathes of Syria from IS.
Who Are The Main Backers Of The SDF?
The U.S.-led coalition has been the main backer of the SDF, providing them with weapons and training.
The U.S. already has some 500 advisers working with the SDF in addition to a force of 400 that arrived more recently, according to Air Force Col. John Dorrian said. He said the troops include U.S. Army Rangers already in Syria.
French and German advisers are also known to be helping the SDF in Syria.
Syrian Kurdistan’s ruling PYD has established three autonomous zones, or Cantons of Jazeera, Kobani and Afrin and a Kurdish government across Syrian Kurdistan (northern Syria) in 2013. On March 17, 2016 Syria’s Kurds declared a federal region in Syrian Kurdistan. On Dec. 30, 2016 Syrian Kurds approved a blueprint for a system of federal government in Syrian Kurdistan, reaffirming their plans for autonomy in areas they have controlled during the civil war.
http://ekurd.net/syrian-kurdish-capture-raqqa-2017-03-11
» The Governor of the Central Bank talks about 9 files, most notably the exchange rate and inflation
» A "scandalous" photo in Basra reveals hidden corruption in the highest university building in the ce
» A new amendment to employee salaries: “poverty for one group and luxury for another” and a warning o
» Parliament outlines the importance of a law it recently enacted and announces the creation of a new
» The dollar is heading to rise and two proposals have been identified to control the “price madness”.
» Kurdistan oil producers warn of “procrastination” in resuming exports and “ambiguity” in the mechani
» External remittances from the Central Bank’s dollar sales increased by nearly 100%
» Al-Abadi’s coalition responds harshly to “Taqaddum”: We want a national trial for those who conspire
» Digital Center: X platform’s actions may create political and social problems in Iraq
» Political differences exclude the oil and gas law from Parliament’s priorities
» The service effort defines its goals and announces the inclusion of new governorates with vital serv
» Iraq and France are discussing developing the fields of investment, economy, energy and environment
» Chambers of Commerce expects the dollar to rise in the coming days
» The Anti-Money Laundering Council discusses controlling corruption files
» The “quotas” divides the list of Iraqi ambassadors between party candidates and diplomats
» Bringing in 11 local officials caused more than $41 million in damage
» Al-Sudani receives the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq
» Iraq and Jordan are discussing joint cooperation and creating an integrated environment for commerci
» The OPEC+ committee will likely not change its production policy
» The Council of Ministers approves a draft law on the right to obtain information
» It was taken by Al-Kazemi and Al-Abadi...a decision by the Sudanese facing the “dilemma” of implemen
» New parliamentary comment on the oil and gas law legislation
» President Rashid proposes forming a local government in Kirkuk to reduce tensions
» In the document.. Al-Sudani directs the formation of committees to audit the livelihoods of members
» The government approves a draft law on the right to access information and refers it to Parliament
» Parliamentary Finance Committee: The dollar crisis is on its way to a final solution
» Al-Sudani and Plasschaert are at one table to discuss several files
» Al-Hakim to Romanowski: Local elections are important to read the nature of the next stage in Iraq
» Al-Sudani and the French President’s envoy discuss Macron’s visit to Iraq
» Al-Maliki's coalition regarding the dollar: The government will take steps to control it
» Parliamentary Committee: There is no agreement between Baghdad and Erbil regarding some paragraphs o
» Diligence and disobedience of general managers against Al-Sudani’s directives in the Baghdad Municip
» A parliamentary committee stresses the need to speed up the legislation of the drug law
» Economic: Parties within the Central Bank are complicit in the dollar issue
» Al-Shabki: Solving Turkey’s problem with the PKK requires action from Ankara
» Central Bank to “Information”: The rise in the price of the dollar is linked to this reason
» 10 Russian companies withdraw from investing in Ramadi glass factories
» Deputy: The government has begun the phase of age balance in security institutions
» A parliamentary committee issues a clarification regarding transferring seniors from education to te
» Assigning a new official spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Interior
» The Service Council announces the completion of the audit of the second batch data for applicants fo
» Oil: The cracking unit project will produce improved gasoline and boost the state budget
» 80 Iranian companies organize an exhibition in Iraq
» Sudanese agrees to grant residential lands to ministries, security and military agencies, and the Po
» The central bank sells more than $196 million in currency auction
» Iraq is first in the Arab world in importing Jordanian products
» Parliamentary communications: chaos in managing social media applications
» The Commission: 32 reports about candidates who violated the Baath ban law.
» Experts: Statements by the Turkish Energy Minister regarding the return of oil exports {political}
» Soon.. Selling information bags for the next two licensing rounds
» Thursday of every week is a time to meet retirees
» Iraqis celebrate the 91st National Day
» Iraq exports more than 6 million barrels to America
» Launching the country's first real estate digital platform
» Economic influence
» Experts: 2023 will end without a budget deficit
» “Disappointing” expectations for participation rates in the Canon elections: votes will go to these
» The dollar is heading to rise and two proposals have been identified to control the “price madness”.
» Alia Nassif: Corruption worth 38 billion dinars in one of the security services
» The head of the Kurdistan Regional Government representative office receives a delegation from the A
» The Council of Ministers holds its regular session headed by Al-Kazemi
» An American vision warns Iraq against “falling into the Chinese embrace”: Do not get too excited
» Sheikh Khazali: The government is continuing to fulfill the people’s hopes
» Türkiye launches a campaign against the Kurds under the pretext of confronting the Kurdistan Workers
» The coordination framework denounces the aggression of the Al-Halbousi party
» Tehran demands that Baghdad hand over Iranian refugees under the pretext of the opposition
» European Council: The stability of Kirkuk is part of the stability of a federal, democratic Iraq
» Two decades of postponement and disagreement... What is delaying the approval of the oil and gas law
» The Internet in Iraq: deferred solutions to raise quality and reduce costs
» The President of the Republic: A general amnesty for whoever deserves it, and I will approve it if i
» Dollar exchange rates in Iraq
» The Iraq International Festival raises controversy... criticism of costumes, the national anthem, an
» Sudanese agrees to allocate plots of land to members of the security forces and the Popular Mobiliza
» Militia Man & Crew Capital Bank Group sponsors a dinner party in honor of the Iraqi delegation part
» The Ministerial Council for the Economy decides not to grant new approvals and licenses to mills for
» Finance: The government cannot pay salaries or any other expenses directly to the region
» Take the money out of the homes.. Parliamentarian: The Central Bank does not have dinars to spend th
» Former member of the Basra Council: Activating the private sector is a solution for the unemployed
» Biden: We look forward to strengthening the partnership between Washington and Baghdad
» Increased pace of work on projects to relieve bottlenecks in Baghdad
» Al-Barti responds to the proposal to link the salaries of the region’s employees with Baghdad: It ca
» An upcoming visit by the Minister of Finance and Economy in the region to Baghdad
» Al-Sudani directs Finance to release the necessary allocations to hold the region’s elections
» I'm the Greatest
» Finance”: The Real Estate Bank will resume granting loans of 50-100 million dinars
» "Controversial points" between Baghdad and the region delay the approval of the oil and gas law
» 10/2/23 Militia Man & Crew Federal Budget Law Iraq - Published In Gazette - Iraq Dinar
» Distributing more than 900,000 “biometric” voter cards in Diyala
» Southern Electricity is implementing a massive campaign to remove bottlenecks and introduce secondar
» Kirkuk's "Achilles' heel" since 2003: A European report warns of escalating tension and suggests sol
» They live and disappear.. Iraq fears the “messages” of kidnapping foreigners and fears the reluctanc
» The files of the elections and the strategic agreement are on the table of Al-Maliki and the America
» Iraqi efforts to construct 36 rainwater dams to confront drought
» Iraq once again praises the results of the security agreement with Iran
» Parliamentary Finance discusses with the Minister of Planning and the governors the reasons for the
» Obelisk Hour: The general amnesty and Kirkuk are confirmed in the political agreement paper
» The Commission announces important dates and responds to concerns about cybersecurity
» The Baghdad International Book Fair records a distinguished Arab and foreign presence