Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), Kurdistan

Last modified: 2024-06-22 by ian macdonald
Keywords: autonomous administration of north and east syria | kurdistan |
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image by Olivier Touzeau, 5 September 2022

• Description
• Rojava
  • The Flag
• Anti-terror and Internal Security Forces

The current flag of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), the de facto autonomous region in northeastern Syria, is white with the current emblem, adopted in 2018.
See it in use: https://anfkurdishmobile.com/kurdistan/Sandeya-astiye-serdana-nuneriya-revebiriya-xweser-kir-156909

The Syrian Democratic Forces is the official defence force of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.
Olivier Touzeau, 5 September 2022

The Armed Forces of the AANES are the SDF of which a major Unit is the YPG and PKK. The other important Unit is the Women's Protection Units (Yekîneyên Parastina Jin, YPJ).

The Police Forces of the AANES, called Asayish, are already covered here: "22-57. Unidentified Flag Captured by Kurds" ( https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ufe22c.html#22-57 ) and should as well be incorporated into the new proposed merged section under its proper title "Asayish". Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_Administration_of_North_and_East_Syria
Esteban Rivera, 15 June 2024

Rojava

Rojava ("the West"), also known as Western Kurdistan (Kurdish: Rojavayê Kurdistanê‎) or Syrian Kurdistan, is a de facto autonomous region originating in and consisting of three self-governing cantons in northern Syria: Afrin Canton, Jazira Canton and Kobanî Canton, and the unofficial Shahba region. In terms of governates of Syria, Rojava is formed of most of al-Hasakah Governorate, northern parts of Al-Raqqah Governorate and northern parts of Aleppo Governorate.

The region gained its autonomy in November 2013, as part of the ongoing Rojava conflict, establishing a society based on principles of direct democracy, gender equality, and sustainability. Rojava is unrecognized as autonomous by the government of Syria and is a participant in the Syrian Civil War. On 16 March 2016, the de facto administration of Rojava declared the establishment of a federal system of government as the Federation of Northern Syria – Rojava (Kurdish: Federasyona Bakurê Sûriyê – Rojava‎, Arabic: منطقة الإدارة الكردية في شمال سوريا‎‎)
Esteban Rivera, 21 September 2016

The Flag

image by Esteban Rivera, 21 September 2016

The flag is seen here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rojava#/media/File:Flag_of_Syrian_Kurdistan.svg

Its emblem is seen here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rojava#/media/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Rojava.png

For additional information go to the 2014 Constitution of the Rojava Cantons (semi official website): http://civiroglu.net/the-constitution-of-the-rojava-cantons/

Official Twitter account of the Economic Committee of the self-administration of Rojava: https://twitter.com/aborirojava
Esteban Rivera, 21 September 2016

Anti-terror and Internal Security Forces

The flag reported is one of many used by the "Internal Security Forces, ISF" (قوى الامن الداخلي), also known as the Asayish (الْأَسَايِش>), which are security police forces in the Jazira, Euphrates, and Afrin Regions.

ASAYISA Rojava Logo (source)     ASAYISA Rojava Flag (image) (source)
Images located by Esteban Rivera, 23 September 2022

They also act as the police force of the autonomous regions of Rojava.

HAT Command Flag (source)    Variant Command Flag (source)    Former Variant Command Flag (source)
Images located by Esteban Rivera, 23 September 2022

Here are two additional reports on the recent operation in the al-Hawl camp, displaying the logo and flag seen in Bill's image. (source #1) and (source #2)

Logos of the Six Main Anti-Terror Force Units (plus additional subunits)

Since the ISF is basically a Police organization, it featured several Directorates, which leads to many flags as well, both local police as well as different service Branches. It is composed of 26 official bureaus that aim to provide security and solutions to social problems.
The six main units of the Asayish are (in no particular order): (source)

1. https://ronahi.tv/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/094201_hsk-tagri-silah-39125505-.jpeg (source)
2. https://ronahi.tv/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/1-1.jpg (source)
3. https://www.voanews.com/a/syrian-forces-step-up-training-ahead-raqqa-offensive/3871475.html (screenshot from the embedded video at 0:16 onwards)
4. https://pydrojava.org/kurdi/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Hezen-Ewlekariya-Hundirin-780x470.jpg (source)
5. https://asayish.com/wp-content/uploads (source)
6. https://npasyria.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Press-conference-of-the-Internal-Security-Forces-Asayish-in-Qamishli.jpg (source)
7. https://asayish.com/wp-content/uploads/cache/photo_2022-09-21_09-59-15-76njicmd8lxeypfrn667dvlphrd1x1yw95mr2cj86lr.jpg (source)

Female Internal Security Forces H.E.J.

Image located by Esteban Rivera, 23 September 2022 (source)

Interestingly, in the autonomous region of North and South Syria, the Asayish forces are striving for a force based on gender equality. An estimated 25% of Asayish members are women, and both a men and woman have positions in command positions. (source #1 and (source #2)

Female Internal Security Forces Logo