United Freedom Forces Explained

United Freedom Forces
Native Name:Birleşik Özgürlük Güçleri
Native Name Lang:tr
War:Syrian Civil War
Active:December 2014 – present
Status:Active
Ideology:Revolutionary socialism
Position:Far-left
Leaders:
  • Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu (chief commander)[1]
  • Bayram Ali (Spokesperson)[2]
  • Aziz Güler (Commander)
Partof: International Freedom Battalion
Allies: Kurdistan Workers' Party
People's Protection Units
Opponents:
Battles:Syrian Civil War
Identification Symbol Label:Flag

The United Freedom Forces (Turkish: Birleşik Özgürlük Güçleri, or BÖG) is a joint expatriate militia of several revolutionary socialist organizations from Turkey, most notably the Revolutionary Communard Party (DKP), active in the Rojava conflict of the Syrian Civil War.

Inspired by the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War, the militia was founded in December 2014 in Kobanê within the de facto autonomous region of Rojava in Syria.[3]

The predominant Hoxhaist Marxist–Leninist Communist Party and the Maoist TİKKO did not join the United Freedom Forces, but together with other communist groups from Turkey, Spain and Greece, in June 2015, they altogether formed the International Freedom Battalion.

Member groups

Revolutionary Communard Party

The Revolutionary Communard Party (Turkish: Devrimci Komünarlar Partisi, abbreviated as DKP) is a revolutionary socialist group from Turkey. It was founded in February 2016 as a merger of the Proletarian Revolutionary Liberation Organisation (Turkish: Proleter Devrimci Kurtuluş Örgütü, abbreviated as PDKÖ) and the Revolution Party of Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye Devrim Partisi, abbreviated as TDP). Devrimci Karargâh joined in 2017. The party is the most notable group behind BÖG and also part of the Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement alliance in Turkey with the PKK and nine other groups.

MLSPB-DC

The Marxist–Leninist Armed Propaganda Corps-Revolutionary Front (Turkish: Marksist Leninist Silahlı Propaganda Birliği-Devrim Cephesi, abbreviated as MLSPB-DC) is a communist armed group from Turkey. A battalion was created by Devrimci Karargâh and MLSPB-DC named after Alper Çakas, an MLSPB-DC fighter killed while fighting in Rojava.[4] It is also part of the Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement.

Sosyal İsyan

Social Insurrection (Turkish: Sosyal İsyan, abbreviated as Sİ) is a green anarchist and platformist group from Turkey. Sİ was founded in 2013, in the Tuzluçayır district of Ankara.[5] Members of the group cite the influence of Alfredo M. Bonanno, Nestor Makhno, and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon.[6]

Units

Controversy with Turkey

On 21 September 2015, BÖG commander Aziz Güler (nom de guerre: Rasih Kurtuluş) was killed by a landmine explosion whilst fighting against ISIL. His body was taken to a hospital in Serê Kaniyê (Ras al-Ayn) to be brought back to Turkey. Turkish authorities refused to allow his body into the country, sparking controversy. His family had appealed to the Suruç district governorate, which rejected their application due to an invisible order by the Council of Ministers,[9] and the Constitutional Court of Turkey, which also rejected their requests, before turning to the European Court of Human Rights.[10] After 59 days, Güler's body was able to enter Turkey and was buried in Istanbul on 22 November 2015.[11] [12]

See also

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BÖG Chief Commander martyred in Raqqa operation. Sinan Deniz. ANF News. 10 May 2017. 10 May 2017.
  2. Web site: BÖG Sözcüsü Bayram Ali Kurtuluş BBC muhabirleri ile röportaj yapıyor. . 28 January 2015. 17 November 2015.
  3. Web site: Kadın Özgürlük Gücü kuruldu. August 14, 2015. Hawar Haber Ajansı. October 15, 2015. 2 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170502220016/http://tr.hawarnews.com/kadin-ozgurluk-gucu-kuruldu/. dead.
  4. Web site: Alper Çakas Enternasyonalist Özgürlük Taburu kuruldu. 29 October 2015. Hawar Haber Ajansı. 25 May 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160614073420/http://tr.hawarnews.com/alper-cakas-enternasyonalist-ozgurluk-taburu-kuruldu/. 14 June 2016. dead. dmy-all.
  5. Web site: Tuzluçayır'dan Kobane'ye Uzanan Bir Anarşist Savaşçı. 28 June 2015. Jiyan. 1 October 2015. 1 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171001024718/http://jiyan.org/2015/06/28/tuzlucayirdan-kobaneye-uzanan-bir-anarsist-savasci/. dead.
  6. Web site: War against ISIS/Daesh: 'From Tuzluçayır to Kobane' – Interview With An Anarchist Warrior (Kurdistan). 6 July 2015. 325. 1 October 2015.
  7. Web site: EÖC - Emek ve Özgürlük Cephesi / Avrupa İnisiyatifi. EÖC - EMEK VE ÖZGÜRLÜK CEPHESİ/AVRUPA İNİSİYATİFİ. 28 July 2017. tr-TR. 28 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170728084249/http://www.eoc-avrupa.org/. dead.
  8. Web site: Emek ve Özgürlük Cephesi/Avrupa İnisiyatifi. Official Facebook page of EÖC. 28 July 2017. en.
  9. Web site: [//anfenglish.com/kurdistan/governor-once-again-rejects-application-of-rojava-martyr-guler-s-family Governor once again rejects application of Rojava martyr Güler's family ]. 29 September 2015 . . 20 November 2015 .
  10. News: Body of man killed in Syria while fighting ISIL allowed into Turkey after 59 days . 19 November 2015 . . 20 November 2015 . 30 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160530023308/http://www.todayszaman.com/national_body-of-man-killed-in-syria-while-fighting-isil-allowed-into-turkey-after-59-days_404734.html . dead .
  11. Web site: [//anfenglish.com/news/body-of-bog-commander-guler-finally-handed-over-to-family Body of BÖG Commander Güler finally handed over to family ]. 19 November 2015 . . 20 November 2015 .
  12. News: Kurdish commander killed in IS clashes buried in Istanbul . 22 November 2015 . . 24 November 2015 .