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Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement | |
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Yurtsever Devrimci Gençlik Hareketi (YDG-H) Tevgera Ciwanen Welatparêzên Şoreşger | |
Foundation | 2006 |
Dates of operation | 2012 | –2018
Country | Turkey |
Active regions | Southeastern Anatolia Region (Turkey) |
Ideology | Democratic confederalism Autonomy Kurdish Nationalism |
Size | 8,000-15,000 |
The Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Ciwanen Welatparêzên Şoreşger, Turkish: Yurtsever Devrimci Gençlik Hareket, YDG-H) was the urban, militant youth wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from 2006-2015.[1] Trained by more experienced PKK cadres for urban fighting,[2] and consisting mostly of children and adults in the 15-25 age group,[3] it was reportedly established in 2006.[1] The group started to clash with Turkish security forces and tried to enforce their authority in the areas they were located in 2014 as part of a strategy which involved unilateral declaration of self-management in various towns in southeastern Turkey, and creation of trenches and barricades reinforced with IEDs and explosives to deny security forces access.[4]
The group was in favor of regional self-management for the Kurdish people in Southeast Anatolia. Other claimed objectives of the YDG-H include stopping all activities related to drugs and prostitution, and other similar crimes in the region.[5]
In December 2015, the YDG-H was reorganized into the Civil Protection Units (YPS) militia.[6]