People's Defence Forces

For other uses, see People's Defense Force.
People's Defence Forces
Hêzên Parastina Gel (HPG)
Leader
FoundationJanuary 2000
Dates of operation2000–present
Allegiance Kurdistan Workers' Party
MotivesCultural and political rights for the Kurdish population in Turkey.[5]
Active regionsTurkey
Iraq
Syria
IdeologyDemocratic confederalism
Communalism
Notable attacks2011 Hakkâri attack
StatusRojava–Islamist conflict[6][7]
Kurdistan Region–PKK conflict
Ongoing war with Turkey, after ceasefire ended
SizeOver 40,000 active fighters (2015 Turkish claim)[8]
OpponentsState opponents
 Turkey
Non-State opponents
 Islamic State
Designated as a terrorist group by Australia[9]
 United Kingdom[10]
Preceded by
Peoples Liberation Army of Kurdistan

The People's Defence Forces (Kurdish: Hêzên Parastina Gel, HPG) is the military wing of the group Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). During the 7th Congress of the PKK in January 2000, the HPG replaced the former military wing of the PKK, the People's Liberation Army of Kurdistan (Artêşa Rizgariya Gelê Kurdistan, ARGK). The replacement was intended to demonstrate the search for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish-Turkish conflict, after the capture of Abdullah Öcalan in 1999.[11] The HPG played an active role in the peace negotiations between the Turkish Government and the PKK in 2013, as it hosted a delegation consisting of several politicians from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and members of the Turkish Human Rights Association (IHD) and agreed to release soldiers of the Turkish army as well as a Turkish politician, who they held captive.[12] In 2014, the HPG was involved in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Sinjar.[13]

As far as can be judged from the publications, one of the basic HPG factions is called "Karela Forces" or "Al-Karila Forces" (Arabic: قوات الكاريلا, romanized: Quwwat al-Karila) meaning "guerrilla" and this name is mainly mentioned in Arabic texts regarding HPG actions. In Arabic texts, and later among its members and supporters, Karila or Gerîla has become an alternative name for People's Defence Forces in general.[14]

  1. ^ Can, Eyüp (14 July 2013). "PKK Changes Leadership". (trans. Timur Göksel). Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014. Originally published as Karayılan'ı kim niye gönderdi? in Radikal, 11 July 2013.
  2. ^ Tahiri, Hussein. The Structure of Kurdish Society and the Struggle for a Kurdish State. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publications 2007. pp 232 ff
  3. ^ Bila, Fikret (7 November 2007). "Kenan Evren: 'Kürtçeye ağır yasak koyduk ama hataydı'" (in Turkish). Milliyet. Retrieved 30 July 2008. Şimdi İmralı'dan PKK'yı yönetiyor. Cezaevinden avukatları kanalıyla.
  4. ^ "Ojalan: Which way now?". BBC News. 21 November 2000. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  5. ^ Howard, Michael (13 May 2005). "Radical firebrand who led bloody nationalist war". Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 August 2008.
  6. ^ "War against Isis: PKK commander tasked with the defence of Syrian Kurds claims 'we will save Kobani'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  7. ^ "BREAKING: HPG operation in Sinjar; 20 ISIS dead". Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  8. ^ "The PKK In Numbers". Archived from the original on 2016-07-09. Retrieved 2016-01-05.{}, 28 December 2015
  9. ^ Department, Attorney-General's. "Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)". nationalsecurity.gov.au. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Proscribed terrorist groups". Home Office. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  11. ^ White, Paul (2015). The PKK. London: Zed Books. pp. 19–20. ISBN 9781783600373.
  12. ^ "Delegation on its way to meet Turkish prisoners held by PKK -FLASH | …". archive.is. 2013-06-29. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  13. ^ Hawramy, Fazel. "Commander who defended Mount Shingal's Yezidis killed in Turkish strike: PKK". www.rudaw.net. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  14. ^ "The Karela forces carry out new operations and eliminate 4 Turkish occupation soldiers". www.ronahi.tv. 2019-07-03. Retrieved 2021-02-19.