YPG

As the multitude of Syrian opposition forces converge for the offensive on Raqqa, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) claim they are prepared to take the ISIS stronghold with the help of their American supporters. The SDF made these statements as conflict between Turkey and the Syrian Kurdish contingent of the SDF continues to grow. Turkey’s […]

The American campaign to remove the Islamic State from northern Syria continues to be complicated by the various armed groups and allegiances on the ground. Turkey, a critical ally for the United States in counter-terrorism operations in the region, has expressed great concern over American support for the Kurdish YPG, an armed group fighting against […]

Today I want to introduce my friend Joey L. to SOFREP readers.  Joey is an accomplished professional photographer who I traveled to Damascus, Syria with last year.  He has also made several trips to Iraq and Kurdish held northern Syria.  This report details his last trip to Syria a few months ago and helps set […]

After months of planning and deliberations, the 75th Ranger Regiment has been deployed to Syria to participate in the war against ISIS as the coalition closes in on the so-called caliphate’s capital city of Raqqa.  Yesterday, the first images emerged of Stryker armored vehicles on their way to Manbij.  This comes weeks after Rangers deployed […]

President Trump’s developing plan to defeat the Islamic State may lead to significant alterations in the Syria strategy that Trump inherited from Barack Obama, including a reduction or elimination of both long-standing U.S. support for moderate opposition forces fighting against the Syrian government and the use of Syrian Kurdish fighters as the main U.S. proxy […]

Over the last week, yet another fake news headline has been making the rounds on social media.  “Cute girl slays 100 ISIS fighters, you won’t believe what happens next!”  This news item was already clichéd during the heyday of ISIS clickbait articles back in 2015.  Now it is just getting embarrassing to watch people share […]

“I shot him with four Dragunov rounds and seven M16 rounds, but he still didn’t die.” Listening to the YPG member relate this story reminded me of an interview with a female YPJ fighter I’d read before I left the United States. She had said that the Daash are completely insane, have bizarre beards, and are all […]

TAL ABYAD, Syria —In a former high school classroom in this northeastern Syrian town, about 250 Arab recruits for the U.S.-backed war against the Islamic State were being prepped by Kurdish instructors to receive military training from American troops. Most of the recruits were from villages surrounding the Islamic State’s self- proclaimed capital of Raqqa, and the […]

On Thanksgiving day, a EOD tech assigned to 5th Special Forces Group was killed in Ayn Issa, Syria.  US CENTCOM (Central Command) announced yesterday that a US soldier was killed by an IED blast, but withheld further details.  To understand why an American Special Forces advisor would be in Ayn Issa with the Kurdish YPG and affiliated […]

Kurt: What’s your military background? Mike: So 2 years in the Marines and 2 years in the Army. I’ve realized I’m young and impatient so everywhere I’m at I’m always convinced I should be doing something better. Got bored in the Marines as a radio guy, so I tried to go SF in the Army and […]

A new model of social organization is taking shape in the Kurdish areas of northern Syria. Rojava, as it is known, comprises three cantons in the western section of the historical homeland of the Kurdish people, which is now divided up among Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. In terms of social equality, ethnic pluralism, and […]

The Kurds are on the cusp of betrayal again by U.S. policy makers. It’s not intentional against them, but international powers force the situation, leaving out the Kurds. Their primary enemy is Turkey. But, there’s almost nowhere they can turn. By the end of this they might look towards Communist China and Russia for support. […]