YPG

YPG stands for Yekîneyên Parastina Gel, which translates to People’s Protection Units. It is a Kurdish militia formed in 2011 in northeastern Syria during the early stages of the Syrian civil war. The organization was created to defend Kurdish territories against the Syrian government forces and later evolved into one of the major components of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition that also includes the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) and various Arab and Assyrian militias.

The YPG operates under a decentralized structure composed of locally recruited fighters who are trained and organized into battalions. While it claims its primary aim is the protection of local civilian populations, the group maintains political connections to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a designated terrorist organization by Turkey and several other countries. This affiliation has caused tensions with the Turkish state, which regards the YPG as a direct threat to its national security.

During the Battle of Raqqa and other campaigns against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the YPG received logistical and training support from the United States as part of a broader effort to counter the jihadist group in the region. The United States also provided air support and ground advisory teams that helped the YPG reorganize its military capabilities and establish governance structures in liberated areas.

The YPG’s activities remain controversial. While it has been praised by international observers for its role in defeating ISIL and for implementing inclusive local governance, critics argue that its alleged ties to the PKK and ongoing clashes with Turkish forces undermine regional stability. The group continues to exert significant influence over security and political affairs in Kurdish-majority areas of Syria and remains a central topic in discussions about Kurdish autonomy and the future governance of Syria.