The Dokumacılar ( English: ''followers of ustafaDokumacı'') was a faction of the

Islamic State The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...

based in

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

that targeted the YPG and the

Turkish Armed Forces The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; , TSK) are the armed forces, military forces of the Turkey, Republic of Turkey. The TAF consist of the Turkish Army, Land Forces, the Turkish Navy, Naval Forces and the Turkish Air Force, Air Forces. The Chief of ...

which were fighting against the Islamic State in the Syrian Civil War. The organisation, thought to have been formed of around 60 militants who joined the Islamic State, was linked to both the 2015 Diyarbakır rally bombings that killed 4 people and the 2015 Suruç bombing that killed 32 people. The Dokumacılar numbered in the 60-70s, most of which were Turkish citizens, mostly ethnic Turks from

Adıyaman Province Adıyaman Province (, ) is a Provinces of Turkey, province in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. The capital is Adıyaman. Its area is 7,337 km2, and its population is 635,169 (2022). The province is considered part of Turkish Kurdi ...

, who joined the Islamic State. The group allegedly participated in the unsuccessful fight against the YPG forces during the offensive against the town of Tell Abyad in

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

. Since 2017, the group has been inactive.

Formation

The Dokumacılar are allegedly formed by around 60 or 70 Turkish citizens from

, who crossed the Turkish-Syrian border to receive training in ISIL camps. The group also allegedly had links with Turkish customs officials at border gates on the border.

Alleged attacks

Offensive on Tell Abyad

Reports claim that the Dokumacılar were part of the ISIL offensive against the Syrian city of Tell Abyad in 2015, where the group allegedly suffered heavy casualties. The group's military commander was reported to have been killed by Kurdish

People's Protection Units The People's Defense Units (YPG), also called People's Protection Units, is a libertarian socialist US-backed Kurds in Syria, Kurdish militant group in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The YPG mostl ...

(YPG) fighters during the offensive, with the final YPG victory against ISIL's military forces causing the Dokumacılar to retreat and cross the border back into Turkey.

HDP Diyarbakır rally bombings

During an electoral rally held in

Diyarbakır Diyarbakır is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province. Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortress, it is ...

by the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) just 48 hours before the Turkish general election of June 2015, two bombs exploded just before the party chairman Selahattin Demirtaş was about to make a speech. The attack killed 4 people and injured over 100 more, with the HDP accusing ISIL for the bombing. Later reports and allegations in July 2015 pointed towards the involvement of the Dokumacılar, whom with which the bombings' prime suspect Orhan Gönder was allegedly a member of.

2015 Suruç bombing

On 20 July 2015, a suicide bombing in the Turkish district of Suruç,

Şanlıurfa Province Şanlıurfa Province (; ), also known as Urfa Province, is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality in southeastern Turkey. The city of Şanlıurfa is the capital of the province which be ...

resulted in the death of 32 young activists who were planning to cross the border to help the relief efforts in the Syrian town of Kobanî. Kobanî had, until recently, been

under siege ''Under Siege'' is a 1992 action thriller film directed by Andrew Davis and written by J. F. Lawton. It stars Steven Seagal (who also produced the film), Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, and Erika Eleniak. Seagal plays Casey Ryback, a former ...

by ISIL forces, though the YPG had gained control over most of the city by mid 2015. The youth activists were listening to a press statement when the explosion occurred, with the perpetrator being identified as Şeyh Abdurrahman Alagöz, who had entered Syria at the same time as Orhan Gönder to receive training in ISIL-led camps. The two were thus alleged to have been part of the Dokumacılar organisation.

References