International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces

The International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces (IRPGF) was a collective of anarchist fighters from around the world. Its formation was announced on 31 March 2017.[7] According to the group, their goals were to defend the social revolution in Rojava in northern Syria, and to spread anarchism. The group announced its dissolution on 24 September 2018.[8]

International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces
LeadersNo leader (non-hierarchical organisation)
Dates of operation31 March 2017 – 24 September 2018
Group(s) TQILA[1][2]
Active regions Rojava
IdeologyAnarcho-communism[3]
Anarcha-feminism[4]
Queer anarchism
Political positionFar-left
StatusInactive
SizeUnknown
Part of International Freedom Battalion
Allies Syrian Democratic Forces

RUIS
MKP
MLKP
TKEP/L
TKP/ML TİKKO[5]
THKP-C/MLSPB
United Freedom Forces

  • Women's Freedom Forces

Kurdistan Workers' Party

Opponents Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
 Turkey
Battles and warsSyrian Civil War
Colours
  Black
  Red
Flag
Insignia
WebsiteTwitter

The IRPGF had been part of the International Freedom Battalion since April 2017.[9][10] Turkish media have described them as a terrorist organization and part of the network of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party.[11][12]

Affiliation

The group was a part of the International Freedom Battalion since April 2017, and they are the second anarchist group to join after the Greek unit RUIS. They participate frequently in the campaign activities of the brigade in social networks.

On 29 May, the IRPGF issued a statement in tribute to the commander of the United Freedom Forces Mehmet Kurnaz (Ulaş Bayraktaroglu), who was killed in combat on the Raqqa Front while fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. They define him as a true friend of IRPGF. On the 31st of the same month, the IRPGF sent representatives and speakers to the City of Derek (Canton of Cizîrê) at the funeral ceremony to four martyrs of the International Freedom Battalion and the People's Protection Units, Mehmet Kurnaz (Ulaş Bayraktaroglu) commander of the United Freedom Forces, Muzaffer Kandemir (fighter) of the United Freedom Forces, Elî Mihemed Mizil (Şêr Zagros) and Nimet Tûrûg (Baran Cudi) of the People's Protection Units.

Armed struggle and involvement in the Syrian Civil War

Their public presence was confirmed at multiple martyr ceremonies in Rojava over 2017. Having fought along with the three most recent martyrs of the International Freedom Battalion, they were present at the funeral ceremonies for DKP leader and United Freedom Forces (BÖG) commander Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu, Tufan Eroğluer (Hasan Ali) from BÖG and Ayşe Deniz Karacagil (Destan Temmuz) from MLKP.[13][14][15]

The Queer Insurrection and Liberation Army
TQILA in Raqqa

The Queer Insurrection and Liberation Army (TQILA), a queer anarchist[16] subunit of the IRPGF, formed in July 2017[17] as a group of foreign militia who came to fight alongside the Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG).[18] Its formation went viral on social media and was widely reported and celebrated in the Western press.[17] By September 2018, the IRPGF had fully dissolved, including the TQILA subunit.[19]

Interviews

The IRPGF has conducted major interviews with Middle East Eye,[20] CrimethInc.,[21] Enough is Enough, Insurrection News and Rojava Solidarity NYC

  • An IRPGF fighter during the Battle of Raqqa in 2017
    An IRPGF fighter during the Battle of Raqqa in 2017
  • Fighters from the IRPGF and IFB at the burial of Destan Temmuz, an MLKP fighter.
    Fighters from the IRPGF and IFB at the burial of Destan Temmuz, an MLKP fighter.
  • Solidarity with Ni una menos.
    Solidarity with Ni una menos.
  • IFB and IRPGF members posing with their flags
    IFB and IRPGF members posing with their flags
  • An IRPGF fighter during the Battle of Tabqa
    An IRPGF fighter during the Battle of Tabqa
  • IRPGF fighters resting during the Battle of Tabqa
    IRPGF fighters resting during the Battle of Tabqa
  • A column of IRPGF fighters during the Battle of Tabqa
    A column of IRPGF fighters during the Battle of Tabqa
  • IRPGF fighters crossing Lake Assad by boat
    IRPGF fighters crossing Lake Assad by boat
  • An IRPGF fighter firing at enemy positions in Tabqa
    An IRPGF fighter firing at enemy positions in Tabqa
  • A member of the IRPGF
    A member of the IRPGF
  • IRPGF fighters displaying the group's flag
    IRPGF fighters displaying the group's flag

See also

References
  1. Moore, Jack (25 July 2017). "First LGBT unit created to fight ISIS in Syria. Its name? The Queer Insurrection". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  2. Kentish, Ben (25 July 2017). "'The Queer Insurrection': Coalition forces fighting Isis in Syria form first LGBT unit". The Independent. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  3. "Interview with the International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces". Kurdish Question. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  4. @IRPGF (28 June 2017). "From #Raqqa to #LatinAmerica & those fighting #femicide: Without a woman's revolution, there is no revolution!…" (Tweet). Retrieved 6 July 2017 – via Twitter.
  5. @RojavaTikko (13 June 2017). "Rojava'dan Kaypakkaya mesajları" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 June 2017 – via Twitter.
  6. @IRPGF (11 June 2017). "In #Tabqa we helped liberate a society imprisoned & controlled by fear & violence. But this tactic isn't unique to…" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 June 2017 – via Twitter.
  7. Vice Staff (June 2, 2017). "Greek Anarchists Are Helping Kurdish Forces Fight ISIS". Vice. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  8. @IRPGF (24 September 2018). "Final communique from the IRPGF" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. "Siria, quei ragazzi venuti da mezzo mondo a combattere l'Isis". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  10. "В Рожаве создана новая организация партизан-анархистов | Новости Курдистана". kurdistan.today (in Russian). Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  11. "Bumerang etkisi: BATI'nın beslediği anarşistler PKK çatısı altında terörize oluyor". EHA MEDYA. 3 April 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  12. "Batı'nın karşısındaki terör tehdidi – Son Dakika Dünya Haberleri | STAR". Star.com.tr (in Turkish). 4 April 2017. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  13. Four martyrs of Raqqa operation laid to rest, Derik, Cizire, ANF News, 1 June 2017, archived from the original on 30 July 2017, retrieved 6 June 2017, (Multimedia—Photography and video in which the IRPGF flag is observed in the formation of the IFB){{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. Ajansı, Etkin Haber (1 June 2017). "Bayraktaroğlu ve Rakka şehitleri son yolculuğuna uğurlandı Haber Detay". ETHA. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  15. @TheBaseBK (2 June 2017). "Four martyrs of Raqqa operation laid to rest" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. Esteban, Nacho (27 July 2017). "TQILA, un mal trago para la homofobia". HuffPost (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  17. Orton, Kyle (17 July 2018). "The Secular Foreign Fighters of the West in Syria". Insight Turkey. 20 (3): 157–177. doi:10.25253/99.2018203.12. ISSN 1302-177X. S2CID 158929243.
  18. Staff, VICE (2 June 2017). "Greek Anarchists Are Helping Kurdish Forces Fight ISIS". Vice. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  19. "Final North Atlantic communique". Survival. 13 (9): 315–318. September 1971. doi:10.1080/00396337108441268. ISSN 0039-6338.
  20. "Anarchy in the YPG: Foreign volunteers vow Turkish 'revolution'". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  21. "IRPGF "The Struggle Is not for Martyrdom but for Life": A Critical Discussion about Armed Struggle with Anarchist Guerrillas in Rojava". CrimethInc. 18 April 2017. Archived from the original on 22 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
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