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Self-Defense Forces ( ku, Hêzên Xweparastinê, abbreviated as HXP; ar, قوات الحماية الذاتية, translit=Quwwāt al-ḥimāyati aḏ-ḏātiyyati, syc, ܓܘܫܡܐ ܕܣܘܝܥܐ ܘܣܘܬܪܐ ܝܬܝܐ, translit=Gushmo d'Suyo'o w'Sutoro Yothoyo) is a multi-ethnic territorial defense militia and the only conscripted armed force in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. As a self-defense force, manpower for the HXP is recruited locally.


Name and translation

The official name of the HXP in Kurdish is Hêzên Xweparastinê. But in HXP's logo of
Afrin Canton Afrin Canton ( ku, Kantona Efrînê, ar, مقاطعة عفرين, syc, ܦܠܩܐ ܕܥܦܪܝܢ, translit=Pelqā dha-ʻAfrin) was one of the cantons of Rojava. Syria's Afrin District fell under the control of the People's Protection Units (YPG) aro ...
, there is another Kurdish name "Hêza Parastina Xweser" which may be only used in this canton. In some Kurdish news, "Erka Xweparastinê" has been used to entitle HXP. The main English translation of HXP is Self-Defense Forces. Another rare translation is Autonomous Protection Force (abbreviated as APF), which often creates confusion that APF is a different armed force from HXP.


Conscription, training and service

An official of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria has stated that the self-defense duty "is not conscription" and that "it's a natural right to defend yourselves, if there is no protection, people will be eliminated and finished." HXP has become the first and only armed force of conscription in Northeastern Syria. The formation and conscription of the HXP is legally based on the self-defense duty laws ( ku, Erka Xweparastinê) of the different NES regions, which has been respectively approved by the Legislative Assembly ( ku, Meclîsa Zagonsaz) of every canton. According to the law, the Defense Council ( ku, Desteya Parastin) of each canton will open a center for Self-Defense Duty ( ku, Navenda Erka Xweparastinê) to register and recruit for the HXP. The introduction of conscription has caused some tensions in Northeastern Syria. Some people attempt to escape the recruitment in different ways (for example, traveling abroad to Turkey and Iraq, not registering at the Centers for Self-Defense Duty). Thus the Asayish is ordered to arrest people who escape the self-defense duty and force them to undertake the duty. The conscription has also been criticized and rejected by
Kurdish National Council The Kurdish National Council (KNC, , ENKS; ar, المجلس الوطني الكوردي ''al-Majlis al-Waṭaniyy Al-Kurdi'') is a Syrian Kurdish political party. While the KNC had initially more international support than the ruling Democra ...
, the main opposition party in Northeastern Syria. The recruits are to be trained by the YPG at the camps. The training generally lasts for 45 days, but sometimes for 40 days (for example, the first session of HXP training in the Jazira canton lasts for 40 days) or for one month (like the first session of HXP training in the Afrin canton). The training includes military structure and tactics, ideology and interaction with civilians. After training, the recruit will begin service in the HXP. The HXP also maintain a special forces unit.


History in different cantons

The HXP was initially formed in the
Jazira Canton The Jazira Region, formerly Jazira Canton, ( ku, Herêma Cizîrê, ar, إقليم الجزيرة, syr, ܦܢܝܬܐ ܕܓܙܪܬܐ, Ponyotho d'Gozarto), is the largest of the three original regions of the de facto Autonomous Administration of Nor ...
. The Jazira canton approved the self-defense duty law as early as on July 13, 2014. The first batch of HXP troops started training on October 11, 2014, and served as the foundation of the Self-Defense Forces. After training for 40 days, the recruits graduated on November 20, 2014. In
Afrin Canton Afrin Canton ( ku, Kantona Efrînê, ar, مقاطعة عفرين, syc, ܦܠܩܐ ܕܥܦܪܝܢ, translit=Pelqā dha-ʻAfrin) was one of the cantons of Rojava. Syria's Afrin District fell under the control of the People's Protection Units (YPG) aro ...
, the self-defense duty law was introduced on 19 May 2015. And the first center for self-defense duty opened on 4 June. After training for about one month, the first batch of HXP troops graduated on July 5. In July 2014, some news claimed that both the Jazira and Kobane cantons would introduce conscription. But the introduction of the self-defense duty law and the opening of the Center didn't happen until June 4, 2016, in Kobane canton. It is possible that the
Kobane Canton Euphrates Region, formerly Kobanî Canton, ( ku, Herêma Firatê, ar, إقليم الفرات, syc, ܦܢܝܬܐ ܕܦܪܬ, translit=Ponyotho d'Prat) is the central of three original regions of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Sy ...
attempted to introduce conscription as early as in July 2014, but had to suspend such an attempt for certain unknown reasons. The first batch of HXP troops were recruited on June 20, 2016, and graduated on July 25. Afrin's HXP forces fought against the
Operation Olive Branch Operation Olive Branch ( tr, Zeytin Dalı Harekâtı) was a cross-border military operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces and Syrian National Army (SNA) in the majority-Kurdish Afrin District of northwest Syria, against the People's Pro ...
in early 2018, suffering heavy casualties in the process.


Military Discipline Units

The HXP founded the Military Discipline Units ( ku, Yekîneyên Disiplîna Leşkerî, ar, وحدات الانضباط العسكري, translit=Waḥdāt al-Inḍibāṭi al-'Askariyyi, syc, ܚܕܘܬܐ ܕܣܘܕܪܐ ܓܝܣܝܐ, translit=Ḥdowotho d'Sudoro Gaysoyo) in July 2015. The main task of this force is to ensure military discipline, prevent arms smuggling and to protect military buildings.


See also

* Syrian Democratic Forces *
List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War A number of states and armed groups have involved themselves in the ongoing Syrian Civil War as belligerents. Syrian Arab Republic and allies A number of sources have emphasized that as of at least late-2015/early-2016 the Syrian Arab Republic ...


References

{{Rojava topics Anti-ISIL factions in Syria Military units and factions of the Syrian civil war Military units and formations established in 2014