Anti-Terror Units

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Anti-Terror Units
Syrian Civil War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Ali Boutan (nom de guerre: Haji Kurkhan) †[3][6]
Shervan Kobani †[7]

The Anti-Terror Units (

People's Protection Units (YPG) and Women's Protection Units (YPJ). They were led by the Syrian Kurdish commander Ali Boutan until his death in 2016, then by Shervan Kobani until his death in 2023.[7] YAT is trained by United States special operations forces and the CIA.[3]

History

YAT fighters with the unit's flag in late 2015.

Formed as the YPG's special forces in late 2014, the unit was organized to seek and destroy

Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell for in-depth training.[3]

Since its formation, YAT has carried out raids against ISIL targets,[9] arrested ISIL sleeper cells,[10] and stopped ISIL terrorist attacks.[11][12] In September 2016, YAT captured two Sultan Murad Division fighters who had previously been filmed torturing YPG fighters in Jarabulus.[2]

In November 2016,

National Intelligence Organization.[3] The Turkish pro-government Anadolu Agency claimed that Boutan had been responsible for sending Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters into Turkey in order to conduct "terror operations".[6]

In April 2017, YAT

laser sights, holographic weapon sights, and STANAG magazines.[13]

On 21 June 2017, YAT captured five ISIL sleeper agents who were preparing a terrorist attack in

operations in Deir ez-Zor Governorate.[4] In the same month, they also captured around twenty foreign members of ISIL as they attempted to flee from Syria to Turkey. One of those arrested was Thomas Barnouin, a French jihadist who is considered to be one of the planners of the 2012 Toulouse attack and the November 2015 Paris attacks.[15]

YAT was involved in resisting Operation Olive Branch in early 2018, with some of its members reportedly killed by the Turkish Armed Forces.[16]

On 1 September 2019, YAT captured Mohammed Remedan Eyd al-Talah,

ISIL's chief financial officer, during a raid in ash-Shahil, Deir ez-Zor Governorate.[5]

9 YAT members including its commander Shervan Kobani were killed when two helicopters carrying them crashed in Duhok Governorate, Kurdistan Region on 15 March 2023.[7]

Gallery

  • YAT fighters during training
    YAT fighters during training
  • A military parade in honor of a killed female YAT member
    A military parade in honor of a killed female YAT member
  • YAT fighters in late 2015
    YAT fighters in late 2015
  • YAT fighters in mid-2016
    YAT fighters in mid-2016
  • YAT fighters in mid-2016
    YAT fighters in mid-2016
  • 9 YAT fighters who were killed in the March 2023 helicopter crash
    9 YAT fighters who were killed in the March 2023 helicopter crash

See also

References

  1. ^ Atlamazoglou, Stavros (October 12, 2019). "Turkey attacks compound of elite US-led Kurdish counterterrorism unit". SOFREP. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Syrian rebels captured by YPG confess to torturing Kurdish fighters". Rudaw Media Network. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g John Sjoholm (23 March 2017). "VICTORY – Mission Tabqa Dam Complete, joint US SpecOps retake vital dam from ISIS". Lima Charlie. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Mastermind of 2016 ISIS attack on Qamishli killed in special op: YPG". Rudaw Media Network. 1 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b Wladimir van Wilgenburg (2 September 2019). "US-backed forces in Syria capture top ISIS financial officer". Kurdistan24. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Albin Szakola (10 November 2016). "A top Kurdish commander has been assassinated near the Turkish border". NOW. Business Insider. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  7. ^ a b c Karwan Faidhi Dri (17 March 2023). "SDF says 9 anti-terror fighters killed in Duhok helicopter crash". Rudaw Media Network.
  8. ^ "Kurds Establish Anti Terror Units in Rojava". Kurdish Daily News. 28 March 2014. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  9. ^ "YPG's Anti-Terror Unit kills two ISIS gangs". Hawar News Agency. 19 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-04-19. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  10. ^ "12 ISIS gangs arrested by YPG's Anti-Terror Units". Hawar News Agency. 15 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-04-19. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  11. ^ "YPG's Anti-Terror Units (YAT) seized many bomb-laden cars". Hawar News Agency. 2 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-04-19. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  12. People's Protection Units. 3 November 2016. Archived from the original
    on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  13. ^ Shawn Snow (7 May 2017). "Syrian Kurds are now armed with sensitive US weaponry, and the Pentagon denies supplying it". Military Times.
  14. ^ "YAT captures ISIS members planning a massacre in Manbij". ANF News. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  15. ^ "French jihadi Thomas Barnouin: "I was trying to go to Turkey"". YPG. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Afrin'de öldürülen teröristin kıyafetindeki peç detayı" [Details about the terrorists killed in Afrin]. Akşam (in Turkish). 30 January 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anti-Terror Units.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anti-Terror_Units&oldid=1200698876"