In this series we have examined Syrian armed groups from across the entire political spectrum who at one point or another during the war featured a firearm in their official crest. Our goal is to present a statistical overview of the small arms used in this military imagery and to share some interesting information I was able to deduce. You can find the first three parts of this series here, here and here. In this fourth and final part, we will make a comparative overview of all the political affiliations fighting previously focused on throughout the previous posts.
SDF
Syrian Civil War Small Arms Symbology: Syrian Democratic Forces in Rojava
In this series we have examined Syrian armed groups from across the entire political spectrum who at one point or another during the war featured a firearm in their official crest. Our goal is to present a statistical overview of the small arms used in this military imagery and to share some interesting information I was able to deduce. You can find the first part of this series here and the second part here, the Opposition and Regime respectively.
Small Arms Symbology of Syrian Opposition Forces (2011-2020)
The Syrian Civil War is an extremely complex conflict, not least in terms of its innumerable state and non-state actors, armed groups, popular militias and foreign contractors. Despite the obvious confusing chaos and dreadful complexity caused by a large number of participants it does offer a representative sample frame for academic research. For any researcher looking for a realistic subset of armed factions and political movements within the wider region, Syria provides an interesting case study. In this exclusive series, I examined Syrian armed groups from across the entire political spectrum who at one point or another during the war featured a firearm in their official crest. My goal is to present a statistical overview of the small arms used in this military imagery, and to share some interesting information I was able to deduct.
Load Bearing Equipment of the of the SDF’s Elite Yekîneyên Antî Teror Unit
In this article we will examine the load-bearing equipment of the Yekîneyên Antî Teror, the Syrian Democratic Force’s Counter-Terror group. In our previous article we looked at the ubiquitous pattern of load-bearing equipment widely issued to the SDF and YPG. You can find that article here.
YPG and SDF Load Bearing Equipment in North Eastern Syria
In this article we will examine some of the load-bearing equipment and kit used by the YPG and SDF Forces during the ongoing Syrian conflict. First a little context, the YPG is an abbreviation of Yekîneyên Parastina Gel in Kurdish and translates to People’s Protection Units in English. This initially Kurdish only militia can trace its lineage to 2011 when we saw the YPG become an official entity with the establishment of the Kurdish Supreme Committee when the left-leaning Democratic Union Party and the center to right-leaning Kurdish National Council formed a pact.
Afrin Liberation Forces Raid an Faylaq al-Sham (SNA) Outpost in Brad/Kafr Nabu
On the 21th June the Afrin Liberation Forces or “Hêzên Rizgariya Efrînê” released photos, a video and statements about a raid carried out by the group on an outpost of the SNA (reportedly Faylaq al-Sham also known as the Sham Legion) between the villages of Brad and Kafr Nabu in the Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria (an approximate location could be at these coordinates-“36°21’49.96″N 36°53’52.05″E”).
Icon of a Movement: The Syrian ‘PKM’ Wooden Buttstock
The supply conditions of the ongoing Syrian Civil War set the stage for a necessity of improvisation and invention. Where there is low supply, there is high demand that reflects through inflated market prices for small arms and equipment. This equation lends itself to the iconic PKM-inspired YPG Kalashnikov wooden stock that can be seen in service throughout initially what was the YPG, YPJ, and later morphed into the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The stock itself comes from the Russian 7.62×54mmR general-purpose machine gun.
Book Review: Desert Sniper by Ed Nash
Desert Sniper follows British citizen turned YPG/SDF foreign fighter volunteer through his experiences fighting with the SDF in Syria during 2015-2016. Ed was motivated by his desire to go and fight an enemy that none of the world seemed to care too much about fighting, which at that was the so-called Islamic State. Once he got into northeastern land mass in Syria known as Rojava, he actually became a sniper for the SDF, supporting SDF infantrymen in such campaigns as Hasaka, Shidaddi, and finally in Minbij where he ended his service in Syria.