UUI, Alm.del - 2023-24 - Bilag 127: Rapport vedrørende militærrekruttering i Nord- og Østsyrien, fra udlændinge- og integrationsministeren

Udlændinge- og Integrationsudvalget 2023-24
UUI Alm.del Bilag 127
Offentligt

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI)

FFM REPORT

Udlændinge- og Integrationsudvalget 2023-24

UUI Alm.del - Bilag 127

Offentligt

June 2024

Military recruitment in North

and East Syria

Syria

us.dk

UUI, Alm.del - 2023-24 - Bilag 127: Rapport vedrørende militærrekruttering i Nord- og Østsyrien, fra udlændinge- og integrationsministeren

This report is not, and does not purport to be, a detailed or comprehensive survey

of all aspects of the issues addressed. It should thus be weighed against other

country of origin informa on available on the topic.

The report at hand does not include any policy recommenda ons. The informa on

does not necessarily reﬂect the opinion of the Danish Immigra on Service.

Furthermore, this report is not conclusive as to the determina on or merit of any

par cular claim to refugee status or asylum. Terminology used should not be

regarded as indica ve of a par cular legal posi on.

The Danish Immigration Service

Farimagsvej 51A

4700 Næstved

Denmark

Phone: +45 35 36 66 00

us.dk

June 2024

The publica on can be downloaded for free at us.dk.

The Danish Immigra on Service’s publica ons can be quoted with clear source

reference.

UUI, Alm.del - 2023-24 - Bilag 127: Rapport vedrørende militærrekruttering i Nord- og Østsyrien, fra udlændinge- og integrationsministeren

MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

Executive summary

The Democra c Autonomous Administra on of North and East Syria (DAANES) implements the

law on Mandatory Self-Defence Duty in most of the areas under its control. The law is by and

large respected by the Kurdish authori es, including regula ons regarding the age of

conscripts, the length of service, exemp on from and deferral of the duty etc.

Conscripts are generally not used in ac ve combat except in force majeure situa ons or if they

guard a place under a ack.

Evaders are conscripted if they are caught at checkpoints, and their one-year service may be

extended with a couple of months. Neither evasion nor deser on has consequences for the

person’s family.

Recruitment of both men and women to the Syrian Democra c Forces (SDF) takes place on a

contractual voluntary basis. There are a number of incen ves making it unnecessary to use

force for recruitment, par cularly the rela vely high salaries paid compared to other military

groups.

Minors con nue to be recruited to the SDF and other groups. However, the exact numbers and

the extent to which such recruitments have taken place by use of physical force (e.g.

kidnappings) remain unclear.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its military wing, the People’s Defence Forces (HPG), do

not use force to recruit members in North and East Syria. However, there are specula ons that

an allegedly PKK-aﬃliated radical youth group called the Revolu onary Youth Movement (RYM)

encourages minors to join the PKK/HPG and the SDF, and that some of the minors recruited by

the RYM become ﬁghters for these forces.

The government of Syria (GoS) con nues to conscript young people in North and East Syria

region (NES) for compulsory military service in the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). However, due to the

limited presence of GoS forces in NES, forced conscrip on only takes place in the event an

individual eligible for military service approaches GoS oﬃces in the so-called security squares in

the ci es of Hasakah and Qamishli.

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

Table of contents

Executive summary .............................................................................................................. 1

Introduction......................................................................................................................... 4

Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 6

Glossary ............................................................................................................................... 7

1. Background

....................................................................................................................... 8

1.1 Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria

......................................... 9

1.1 GoS presence in NES .......................................................................................................... 10

1.1.1. Security squares in Hasakah and Qamishli ................................................................ 11

2. Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

........................................................................................... 13

2.1 Profile of conscripts

............................................................................................................ 13

2.1.1. Conscription of women .............................................................................................. 14

2.1.2. Conscription of minors............................................................................................... 14

2.2. Deferral and exemptions from the Self-Defence Duty ..................................................... 14

2.2.1. Education ................................................................................................................... 15

2.2.2. Medical reasons ......................................................................................................... 16

2.2.3. Staying abroad ........................................................................................................... 16

2.2.4. Familial reasons ......................................................................................................... 17

2.2.5. Other reasons ............................................................................................................ 17

2.3. Length of the Self-Defence Duty....................................................................................... 18

2.4. Conscription process

.......................................................................................................... 19

2.5. Service in the Self-Defence Duty Forces ........................................................................... 19

2.5.1. Use of conscripts in combat....................................................................................... 20

2.5.2. Violations against civilians ......................................................................................... 21

2.5.2. Treatment of other ethnic groups during service...................................................... 21

2.6. Consequences of evasion and desertion from the Self-Defence Duty ............................. 22

2.6.2 Consequences for family members to draft evaders and deserters .......................... 23

3. Recruitment to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) ......................................................... 24

3.1 Recruitment process .......................................................................................................... 25

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

3.2 Recruitment of women ...................................................................................................... 25

3.3 Recruitment of minors....................................................................................................... 26

3.3.1. The Office for the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict ..................................... 27

4. Recruitment to the PKK .................................................................................................. 29

4.1. Recruitment to the PKK/HPG ............................................................................................ 29

4.2 Recruitment to the Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM) ............................................. 29

4.2.1. Recruitment practices ................................................................................................ 31

5. Recruitment to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) .................................................................... 33

5.2 Conscription to the SAA ..................................................................................................... 33

5.3 Voluntary recruitment to the SAA ..................................................................................... 34

6. Local knowledge about different groups ......................................................................... 35

Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... 36

Annex 1: Meeting minutes ................................................................................................. 41

Annex 2: Copy of military booklet ....................................................................................... 79

Annex 3: Self-Defence Duty Law (Amended 2024) ............................................................... 82

Annex 4: Terms of Reference .............................................................................................. 92

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

Introduction

This report focuses on recruitment to military forces in North and East Syria (NES). This includes

the Mandatory Self-Defence Duty, recruitment to the Syrian Democra c Forces (SDF),

recruitment to the military wings of Kurdistan Worker’s Party PKK as well as military service in

the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). The report is an update of the report:

Syria Military recruitment in

Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

dra ed by the Danish Immigra on Service (DIS).

The report is wri en in accordance with the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) COI

Report Methodology and has undergone an external peer review by the Swedish Migra on

Agency’s Country of Origin Informa on (COI) unit.

The report is based on informa on from wri en sources as well as informa on collected via

mee ngs in person with sources in Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and online mee ngs with a

number of sources inside Syria and Europe. The physical mee ngs and most of the online

mee ngs took place during a fact-ﬁnding mission to KRI in the period 27 April to 4 May 2024.

During the mission, the delega on gathered informa on on the topics addressed in this report,

as well as informa on about documents issued in NES and access to the region, which will be

published in a another report by the DIS at a later stage.

The purpose of the report is to provide updated informa on on the issues relevant for the

processing of asylum cases. The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the report were drawn up by the

DIS in consulta on with the Secretariat of the Danish Refugee Appeals Board. The ToR is

included in the end of the report (Annex IV).

The report is a synthesis of the informa on obtained from oral and wri en sources and does

not include all details and nuances provided by the sources. In the report, care has been taken

to present the views of the sources as accurately and transparently as possible. The individual

sources should not be held accountable for the content of the report.

Before, during and a er the fact-ﬁnding mission to KRI, mee ngs (online as well as in person)

were held with 16 sources, comprising journalists, human rights organisa ons, lawyers, Syrian

Kurdish authori es, academics and child protec on oﬃces. All consulted sources have been

selected by virtue of their exper se on the topics of this report. The sources were informed

about the purpose of the mee ngs and the fact that their statements would be included in a

public report. Some sources requested varying degrees of anonymity.

Mee ng minutes have been dra ed from each mee ng. These were forwarded to each source

(except one) for approval, providing the source an opportunity to amend, comment or correct

statements so that the minutes reﬂect the informa on shared most accurately. One source

inside Syria did not ﬁnd it necessary to approve the minutes from the mee ng wih him. All

European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA),

Country of Origin (COI) Report Methodology,

February 2022,

url

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

other sources approved their statements. The mee ng minutes are a ached as an annex to this

report (Annex I).

For the sake of transparency and accuracy, paragraphs in the mee ng minutes have been given

consecu ve numbers, which are used in the report when referring to the statements of the

sources in the footnotes. During the mee ngs, sources also touched upon topics that are not

addressed in the ToR. However, whenever such topics could be relevant for asylum cases, the

informa on has been included in the minutes but not addressed in the report.

A en on should be called to the changeable and unstable situa on in Syria, including in North

and East Syria, and the fact that the informa on provided in this report may become outdated.

Therefore, the issues addressed in this report should be monitored periodically and brought up

to date accordingly.

DIS has observed conﬂic ng informa on in the wri en sources, speciﬁcally regarding the

accurate aﬃlia on of diﬀerent actors in NES. A en on should thus be called to the fact that

many wri en sources may confuse diﬀerent actors present in NES (e.g. Self-Defence Forces and

the SDF, or Revolu onary Youth Movement and the SDF) due to the close rela onship between

these actors. When reading these sources, care has been taken to establish to which actor the

speciﬁc informa on concerns.

The research and edi ng of this report was ﬁnalised on 20 June 2024. The report can be

accessed from the website of DIS,

www.us.dk,

and is available to all stakeholders working

within the ﬁeld of refugee status determina on as well as to the general public.

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

Abbreviations

COI

DAANES

DIS

EASO

EUAA

GoS

HPG

HXP

KRI

NES

PKK

PYD

RYM

SAA

SDC

SDF

SNA

SNHR

STJ

YPG

YPJ

Country of Origin Informa on

Democra c Autonomous Administra on of North and East Syria

Danish Immigra on Service

European Asylum Support Oﬃce

European Asylum Agency

Government of Syria

People’s Defence Forces

Self-Defence Duty Forces

Islamic State

Kurdistan Region of Iraq

North and East Syria

Kurdistan Workers’ Party

Democra c Union Party

Revolu onary Youth Movement

Syrian Arab Army

Syrian Democra c Council

Syrian Democra c Forces

Syrian Na onal Army

Syrian Network for Human Rights

Syrians for Truth and Jus ce

People’s Protec on Units

Women’s Protec on Units

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

Glossary

Asayish

Child Protection Office

Police force of the DAANES areas.

Known by its full name as the Office for Protection of

Children in Armed Conflict; a DAANES institution, which

was established to prevent recruitment of minors to the

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

A person enlisted to military service compulsorily.

An officially unrecognised government entity under the

effective control of the Democratic Union Party (PYD).

Although the DAANES is officially separate from the PKK,

they are closely linked ideologically.

Soldier who has left her/his post without permission and

is thus no longer in active military service.

Person required to perform military service, who has not

enlisted in due time

Conscript

DAANES

Deserter

Draft evader

Kurdish Democratic Union Party

The dominant political actor of the DAANES. A Kurdish

(PYD)

political party established in 2003 by the Syrian branch of

the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The military wings of the PYD are the People's Protection

Units (YPG) and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ),

which are key components of the Syrian Democratic

Forces (SDF).

North and East Syria

Self-Defence Forces (HXP)

Areas that are mainly under the control of the DAANES.

The SDF is supported by an auxiliary force known as the

Self-Defence Duty Forces (HXP), which consists of

conscripts conducting their Self-Defence Duty.

Sutoro, a local Christian security force, is a component of

the SDF. Established in 2012 during the onset of Syria's

civil war, the Sutoro later formed an alliance with Kurdish

forces to protect Christians and other communities in

northeastern Syria from various armed groups.

The main military force of the DAANES comprised of

several armed groups. The military wings of the PYD, YPG

and YPJ, are key components of the Syrian Democratic

Forces.

Smallest administrative unit in DAANES-controlled areas.

Syriac Security Office (Sutoro)

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)

Komeen

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1. Background

In July 2012, Kurdish forces took control of most of the areas in northern Syria with a Kurdish

majority.

The same year, a civil administra on was established, which has been renamed

several mes. In December 2023, with the adop on of a new Social Contract, the

administra on was renamed as the Democra c Autonomous Administra on of North and East

Syria (DAANES).

As of 14 June 2024, the DAANES governs an ethnically diverse region that accounts for almost

25% to 30% of Syria's territory, including most of Hasakah, Raqqa and Deir Ezzour governorates,

as well as parts of the Aleppo governorate.

The security in these territories is mainly managed

by the Syrian Democra c Forces (SDF) and the internal security forces, the Asayish.

The term

North and East Syria (NES) is used in this report to describe the territory under DAANES control.

The Government of Syria (GoS) controls smaller areas in the ci es of Hasakah and Qamishli,

including, Qamishli Airport. GoS and its Russian allies also have a presence close to the Syrian-

Turkish border.

A strip of land between Tel Abyad in Raqqa Governorate and Ras Al-Ayn in

Hasakah Governorate is controlled by Syrian Na onal Army (SNA), a Turkish-backed opposi on

group.

In addi on, American forces have also a presence in diﬀerent loca ons in NES.

Allsopp, H.,

The Kurds of Syria,

2015, p. 1; EASO,

Syria: Security Situa on,

July 2021,

url,

p. 159

Kurdistan24,

New administra on name adopted for local administra on in northeast Syria,

13 December 2023,

url

EASO,

Syria: Security Situa on, July 2021,

url,

pp. 22, 157-160; Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs of the

Netherlands,

Country of origin informa on report Syria, June 2021,

url,

pp. 11-12, 15, 22; EUAA,

Syria – Security

Situa on,

October 2023,

url,

p. 28

DIIS,

Mosaics of Power: Fragmenta on of the Syrian state since 2011, 2018,

url,

p. 19; EASO, Syria: Security

Situa on, July 2021,

url,

pp. 22-23; Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs of the Netherlands,

Country of

origin informa on report Syria,

June 2021,

url,

p. 12

EASO, Syria:

Security Situa on,

July 2021,

url,

pp. 157-160; Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs of the

Netherlands,

Country of origin informa on report Syria, June

2021,

url,

p. 25

ICG,

Steadying the New Status Quo in Syria’s North East,

27 November 2019,

url;

Netherlands (The), Ministry of

Foreign Aﬀairs of the Netherlands,

Country of origin informa on report

Syria, June 2021,

url,

pp. 12, 25; EASO, Syria:

Security Situa on, July 2021,

url,

p. 159

Fabrice Balanche,

A er 13 years of conﬂict, Syria is a failed state,

14 March 2024,

url

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Map 1: Presence of foreign forces in Syria as of 2024.

1.1 Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria

The Syrian Democra c Council (SDC) is the execu ve body of the DAANES. The SDC is governed

by a coali on dominated by the Kurdish Democra c Union Party (PYD; Par ya Yetkîye

Demokrat).

The

DAANES is divided into seven administra ve areas (also known as cantons): Jazire,

Euphrates, Manbij, Deir Ezzour, Tabqa, Raqqa and Afrin.

Although Afrin is considered an

administra ve area of the DAANES, it was as of May 2023 de facto under the control of fac ons

friendly to Hay’at Tahrir al Sham (HTS) within the SNA.

The administra ve area of Jazire

roughly corresponds to Hasakah Governorate.

Fabrice Balanche,

A er 13 years of conﬂict, Syria is a failed state,

14 March 2024,

url

Allsopp, H. and van Wilgenburg, W.,

The Kurds of Northern Syria, 2019,

pp. 2, 95-97; EASO,

Syria: Security

Situa on,

July 2021,

url,

p. 24; Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs of the Netherlands,

Country of origin

informa on report Syria,

August 2023,

url,

p. 14

Denmark, DIS,

Syria: Military recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 8-9; DAANES Representa on

in KRI: 7

EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on, October

2023, url, p.63

Denmark, DIS, Syria:

Military recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 9

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

Map 2: Syrian Arab Republic: Approximate areas of inﬂuence as of December 2023.

1.1 GoS presence in NES

The GoS’ con nued presence in the Hasakah governorate is part of the security coordina on

with the Kurdish forces, ini ated in 2012. At that me, the GoS withdrew from the majority of

the governorate, allowing Kurdish forces to gain greater autonomy in the region. However, the

GoS maintained limited posi ons in speciﬁc enclaves in the ci es of Hasakah and Qamishli, the

so-called ‘security squares’ (in Arabic

Al-Morab’at Al-Amniya).

The GoS has also maintained a presence along the Syrian-Turkish border in the Hasakah

governorate, where it reinforced its presence in mid-2022 in response to Turkish warnings of a

poten al new military campaign in the Kurdish border areas.

Just as the GoS exerts control over speciﬁc zones in areas held by the SDF, the SDF exerts

control over the neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashraﬁeh in the northern outskirts of

United Na ons,

Syrian Arab Republic: Approximate areas of inﬂuence as of December 2023,

1 January 2024,

url

EASO,

Syria Actors,

December 2019,

url;

p.40; Enab Baladi,

Northern Syria: “Security Squares” manage SDF and

regime interests,

9 October 2023,

url;

EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on,

October 2023,

url,

p. 105; Enab Baladi,

Northern Syria: “Security Squares” manage SDF and regime interests, 9 October 2023,

url

EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on,

October 2023,

url,

p. 105

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Aleppo city, which is held by the GoS

Furthermore, the SDF is present in the Tell Rifaat

enclave, situated to the north of Aleppo city, as well as Manbij and Kobane in the eastern

Aleppo governorate

The GoS and the SDF regularly exchange control and impose restric ons in these speciﬁc areas.

The GoS occasionally ghtens control over the Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo city, while the

SDF reciprocates in rela on to security squares in Hasakah.

A recent example of this dynamic

occurred in mid-April 2022 when GoS-owned buildings in Hasakah and Qamishli were brieﬂy

occupied by SDF forces as a retaliatory measure against the GoS siege of the Kurdish-populated

neighborhoods of Aleppo.

Addi onally, the SDF expands its control in Aleppo by trading with the GoS, allowing the GoS to

bring ﬂour and fuel to Sheikh Maqsoud in exchange for similar concessions in Hasakah.

The

SDF has also allowed GoS-forces to traverse SDF-territory.

1.1.1. Security squares in Hasakah and Qamishli

The GoS maintains a limited presence in the security squares in Hasakah (the capital of the

Hasakah Governorate) and Qamishli, where they maintain several public oﬃces, including

those for civil status, recruitment to the SAA and schools.

These areas, also known as security enclaves, are small areas enclosed by streets where the

GoS has a limited capacity to operate.

According to the DAANES representa on in KRI, the SDF will not intervene in cases where

criminals are apprehended by the GoS. However, they will intervene on behalf of the person in

ques on if they have a rela on to the DAANES.

In the context of criminal ma ers, the GoS is not in a posi on to arrest or prosecute wanted

persons, according to human rights lawyer Zaki Mohammad Hajji. Criminal ma ers are handled

by the DAANES, as the Syrian authori es present in the security squares lack the authority and

capacity to do so.

Enab Baladi,

Northern Syria: “Security Squares” manage SDF and regime interests,

9 October 2023,

url

EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on,

October 2023,

url,

p. 64

Enab Baladi,

Northern Syria: “Security Squares” manage SDF and regime interests,

9 October 2023,

url

EUAA,

Syria: Security Situa on,

September 2022,

url,

p. 150; Enab Baladi,

SDF seizes six state buildings in Qamishli,

14 April 2022,

url

Enab Baladi,

Northern Syria: “Security Squares” manage SDF and regime interests,

9 October 2023,

url

EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on,

October 2023,

url,

p. 105

Hossein Naasoo (lawyer): 1: Mahmoud Omer (lawyer): 1; Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 4; Zaki Mohammad Hajji (lawyer):

1,4; DAANES FRD: 16-18; DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url, p. 29;

Enab

Baladi, Northern Syria: “Security Squares” manage SDF and regime interests, 9 October 2023,

url

DAANES representa on KRI: 26; DAANES DER: 16

DAANES KRI: 28

Zaki Mohammad Hajji (lawyer): 2

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

According to the DAANES representa on in KRI, the security square in Qamishli is slightly

smaller than the security square in Hasakah. It is surrounded by SDF checkpoints, and the GoS

conducts an iden ty check at checkpoints when people enter the security squares.

DAANES DFR: 17,20

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2. Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

The Mandatory Self-Defence Duty (herea er: "the Self-Defence Duty") is a compulsory military

service for young men in the areas controlled by the DAANES.

Conscripts fulﬁlling this duty

serve in the Self-Defence Duty Forces (in Kurdish Hêzên XweParas nê: HXP).

The Law on Mandatory Self-Defence Duty in the Democra c Autonomous Areas (herea er: the

Self-Defence Duty Law) was enacted in July 2014 in response to the growing need for a larger

military force in the ﬁght against the Islamic State.

It regulates the Self-Defence Duty.

The

latest amendment to the Self-Defence Duty Law was adopted during DAANES’ general assembly

in September 2023. However, the new changes were announced by the DAANES in February

2024.

2.1 Profile of conscripts

According to Ar cle 1-A in the Self-Defence Duty Law, men over the age of 18 deriving from NES

are required to perform the duty. Ar cle 14 of the Self-Defence Duty Law s pulates that it is the

Defence Oﬃce of DAANES in each administra ve area that determines the age range of those

required to serve.

As of June 2024, men born in 1998 or later are being called up for Self-Defence Duty, which

means that the age range of men conscripted is 18-26 years.

The Self-Defence

Duty was ini ally mandatory only for Kurds, as the DAANES an cipated

poten al opposi on from Arab communi es regarding the implementa on of the Self-Defence

Duty law in these areas. However, due to expressed dissa sfac on among Kurds with this

prac ce, the Self-Defence Duty has been extended from the original three cantons to all seven

cantons, now including areas with an Arab majority

such as Raqqa, Deir Ezzour, and Manbij.

However, the DAANES is s ll cau ous in implemen ng the Self-Defence Duty law in areas with a

predominantly Arab popula on.

Likewise, Chris ans are, in prac ce, not subjected to the

same enforcement of the Self-Defence Duty law as Kurds, according to one source. Due to a

signiﬁcant decline in the Chris an popula on in the region caused by the conﬂict, the DAANES

Allsopp, H. and van Wilgenburg, W.,

The Kurds of Northern Syria: Governance, Diversity and Conﬂict,

2019, p. 99

Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs of the Netherlands,

Country of origin informa on report Syria,

August 2023,

url,

p. 58

Denmark, DIS, Syria:

Update on Military Service, Mandatory Self-Defence Duty and Recruitment to the YPG,

September 2015,

url,

p. 21; Omran Center for Strategic Studies,

Military and Security Structures of the Autonomous

Administra on in Syria,

24 January 2018,

url,

p. 25; Denmark, DIS,

Syria: Military recruitment in Hasakah

Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 9

DAANES FRD: 1

Enab Baladi,

AANES adopts amendments to conscrip on laws,

22 February 2024,

url

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

DAANES DD: 2; Syrian Human Rights Organiza on: 1

Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 3; DAANES Representa on in KRI: 1, 7; Syrian Kurdish expert: 1

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 12, 14; Syrian University Professor: 2

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is cau ous not to cause more Chris ans to leave the region by pushing for conscrip on of

Chris ans to the HXP. Consequently, Chris an youth typically do not par cipate in the Self-

Defence Duty but instead join the Chris an police force, Sutoro, for three years. This service

exempts them from the Self-Defence Duty. The Sutoro police are part of the Internal Security

Forces and primarily operate within Chris an communi es to maintain security.

The latest amendments to the Self-Defence Duty law, outlined in Ar cle 1-D, state that Syrian

na onals origina ng from outside NES, who have been residing in NES for a minimum of three

consecu ve years are obliged to perform the Self-Defence Duty. Previously, this obliga on

applied a er a period of ﬁve consecu ve years of residence in NES.

Two sources expressed, however, doubt about the consistent conscrip on of individuals from

outside NES across all regions.

2.1.1. Conscription of women

The Self-Defence Duty is exclusively mandatory for men.

However, according to Ar cle 3 of

the Self-Defence Duty Law, women have the right to voluntarily join the Self-Defence Duty.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a journalist and author, along with a Syrian Kurdish expert have not

heard of any instances of women being forcibly conscripted for the Self-Defence Duty.

Another journalist noted that many women voluntarily join the service, a prac ce that has been

conﬁrmed by the DAANES Department for Foreign Rela ons, which stated that women who

enlist primarily take on administra ve or guarding roles.

2.1.2. Conscription of minors

Individuals under 18 are not conscripted into the HXP,

and the regula ons of the Self-Defence

Duty Law regarding the recruitment age are generally respected and consistently enforced by

DAANES authori es.

A Syrian Kurdish expert and a Syrian human rights organiza on had not

heard of examples of minors being conscripted to the HXP, either voluntarily or forcibly.

2.2. Deferral and exemptions from the Self-Defence Duty

The legisla on allows for individuals required to serve the Self-Defence Duty to defer their

service or be exempt from it, depending on their individual circumstances.

These rules, which

Syrian Kurdish expert: 2

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3; Ciwan Isso (laywer): 1

Syrian Kurdish expert: 3; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 3

DAANES FRD: 4, Syrian Kurdish expert: 6; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 13; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 10

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3; DAANES Representa on in KRI: 3

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 10; Syrian Kurdish expert: 6

DAANES FRD: 4, 5; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 13

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 4; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 17; Syrian Kurdish expert: 12; Syrian Human Rights

Organiza on: 6

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 4; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 17

Syrian Kurdish expert: 12; Syrian Human Rights Organiza on: 6

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

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among other things include exemp ons due to medical reasons and deferments for students or

individuals living abroad, remain upheld and enforced by the DAANES.

An individual who has

been granted exemp on or discharge from the Self-Defence Duty will have this recorded in his

Self-Defence Duty booklet.

The below subsec ons concern diﬀerent circumstances under which postponement or

exemp on from serving the Self-Defence Duty are granted.

2.2.1. Education

The Self-Defence Duty law allows students at pre-university and university level to defer their

conscrip on in one-year increments un l they complete their educa on. According to Ar cle

16 of the Law, the deferral is granted for one academic year at a me, taking eﬀect on May 31

and las ng un l the same date the following year.

The DAANES has speciﬁed new age limits for the dura on of educa onal deferrals at each

educa onal level in its latest amendment to the Self-Defence Duty law.

In accordance with

Ar cle 16 of the most recent version of the law, the following age limits apply:

1. Deferral requests for high school students are accepted un l they reach the age of 21

years.

2. Deferral requests for college students are accepted un l they reach the age of 24 years.

3. Deferral requests for university students are accepted un l they reach the age of 26

years.

4. An addi onal three years, equivalent to the dura on of the prescribed years, are added

for postgraduate university students in all facul es except the faculty of medicine.

Furthermore, the source from the DAANES’ Defence Department clariﬁed that students do not

have to be enrolled in educa onal ins tu ons located within NES to be eligible for a deferral of

their Self-Defence Duty. They can also be enrolled in ins tu ons in GoS-controlled areas or in

Syria’s neighbouring countries, including Türkiye, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.

According to the consulted Syrian Kurdish Journalist, ongoing educa on cons tutes the primary

reason for deferring the Self-Defence Duty.

Syrian Kurdish Journalist: 12; Syrian Kurdish expert: 11; Syrian human rights organiza on: 16; DAANES FRD: 12;

Syrian university professor: 1; DAANES Representa on in KRI: 13; Syrian Kurdish Journalist: 7; DAANES DD: 3, 4, 7;

Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs of the Netherlands,

Country of origin informa on report Syria,

August

2023,

url,

p. 59

DAANES representa on in KRI: 17

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

Enab Baladi,

AANES adopts amendments to conscrip on laws,

22 February 2024,

url

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3; For more details about deferral rules, see the Self-Defence Duty Law text in Annex

DAANES DD: 5, 8

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 7

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2.2.2. Medical reasons

A person can either have their duty deferred or be exempted from serving due to medical

reasons, depending on the nature of the medical condi on.

Medical exemp ons are granted

for physical and mental health condi ons that prevent the individual from serving the Self-

Defence Duty.

In such cases, a medical examina on is conducted to determine the individual’s

capability to serve.

According to Ar cle 29 of the Self-Defence Duty Law, persons with special needs and pa ents

with diseases that prevent them from performing the Self-Defence Duty may be exempted from

the duty if they have an approved medical report from the Military Medical Centre and the

approval of the Defence Oﬃces in administra ve and civil departments.

A Syrian university professor informed DIS that the rules regarding medical exemp ons

con nue to be implemented and observed by the DAANES authori es.

2.2.3. Staying abroad

Individuals subject to the Self-Defence Duty who hold residence permits outside Syria can defer

their service.

According to Ar cle 27 of the Self-Defence Duty law, residents and holders of residence permits

from all countries except for countries that share land borders with Syria shall pay an annual

deferral fee of 400 USD for each year since the date of enactment of the law. Obtaining deferral

by paying this fee can be done twice in total.

Individuals can freely move around within NES

without being dra ed to the Self-Defence Duty a er paying the fee.

Individuals from NES who reside in Syria’s neighbouring countries can obtain deferral for

educa onal reasons, for example, if they are enrolled in an educa onal ins tu on in Türkiye.

Individuals are, according to Ar cle 36 of the Self-Defence Duty Law not required to perform

the Self-Defence Duty if they obtain a non-Syrian ci zenship.

Men in the relevant age group who have le Syria but return a er exceeding the maximum age

of service are generally granted amnesty. However, they may be subject to a ﬁne of up to 300

USD.

Syrian university professor: 1; DAANES Representa on in KRI: 13, 14; DAANES FRD: 12; DAANES DD: 6; Seyredin

Yusuf (journalist): 11; Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 14; Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

DAANES FRD: 12; Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

Syrian university professor: 1

Syrian Kurdish expert: 10; DAANES DD:7

DAANES DD: 7; Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

DAANES DD: 7

DAANES DD: 8; Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 15

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Un l 2019, the law allowed individuals to be exempt from the Self-Defence Duty by paying a

fee of 6,000 USD. This prac ce was abolished due to concerns that it exacerbated inequality, as

only the aﬄuent could aﬀord to avoid the duty through payment.

2.2.4. Familial reasons

There are several family-related reasons that can lead to an exemp on from the Self-Defence

Duty, for instance if the person:

Is the only son in his family.

Is the only surviving member of his family, with no other living family members left.

Has a family member martyred while serving in one of the Kurdish military forces.

Is providing financial support to his family.

In accordance with Ar cle 25 of the Self-Defence Duty Law, a deferral is granted to brothers of

conscripts from the same mother within the HXP who have completed the training course. This

deferral is granted on a maximum of two occasions, each for a period of six months.

Cases of deferral are ﬁrst granted a er approval by the Self-Defence Duty Oﬃce.

2.2.5. Other reasons

Individuals who have served in an ins tu on or force under the DAANES for a minimum of

three years may be exempt from the Self-Defence Duty. This applies to paid contract-based

service in any DAANES-approved ins tu on, such as the traﬃc police.

Former members of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) or the SDF are exempt from service in

the HXP if they have already served with either the Asayish or SDF for a period of at least two

years between 2012 and 2015. Those currently serving in the Asayish or the SDF for three to

ﬁve years may also apply for an exemp on.

Young men, who do not wish to enlist, may consider alterna ve avenues to comply with the

regula ons of the Self-Defence Duty law. One op on is to serve in the traﬃc police for three

years, which would qualify them for exemp on from their Self-Defence Duty.

DAANES DD: 9

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 9; DAANES DD: 6; Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

DAANES DD: 6

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 10, 16

Syrian Kurdish expert: 8; DAANES FRD: 11

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 16

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2.3. Length of the Self-Defence Duty

The introduc on of Ar cle 2 in the Self-Defence Duty Law in June 2022 extended the dura on

of the Self-Defence Duty from nine months to one year.

This remains the current standard

dura on of the Self-Defence Duty.

In Ar cle 1 of the Self-Defence Duty law, two concepts are introduced, which indicate that the

length of duty can be extended beyond one year:

1. Retention (in Arabic

Ehtefaz):

The extension of the Self-Defence Duty service based on

crucial needs.

2. Reserve (in Arabic

Ehtiat):

Any person who has completed the Self-Defence Duty

service and is called up based on compelling needs to join the reserve service.

The consulted DAANES authori es as well as a Syrian Kurdish expert conﬁrmed the possibility

of extending the dura on of the service during emergency situa ons.

A Syrian university

professor was unaware of any instances of extending the Self-Defence Duty, with the excep on

of cases of extraordinary security situa ons in an area.

The DAANES Representa on Oﬃce in KRI further stated that, for example, during the ba les of

Kobane (2014 - 2015) and Afrin (2018), the length of service was extended and a number of

reserves were called up.

Another source men oned that the service was extended by two to

three month in October 2019 due to the ﬁgh ng in Tell Abyad following the Turkish incursion.

However, according to DAANES Representa on in KRI there have been no recent examples of

service extensions or calling up for reserve duty.

According to the Foreign Rela ons Department of the DAANES, the decisions related to

extending the service period of the Self-Defence Duty are made by local commanders in each

region, depending on circumstances and needs.

The DAANES Defence Department men oned two situa ons in which an individual may be

retained in service (Ehtefaz). The ﬁrst situa on occurs when someone enlists for the Self-

Defence Duty late, resul ng in an extension of one-two months. The second situa on arises

during extraordinary crisis or force majeure, where individuals may be retained in service.

However, the maximum extension of service in these situa ons is up to three months.

Denmark, DIS, Syria:

Military recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 14

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3; Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 2; DAANES Representa on in KRI: 1, 8; Former HXP-recruit:

15; Syrian Human Rights Organiza on: 14; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 5; DAANES FRD: 6; Syrian Kurdish expert: 5

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 1, 8; Syrian Kurdish expert: 17; DAANES FRD: 6

Syrian university professor: 8

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 8

Syrian Kurdish expert: 17

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 8

DAANES FRD: 7, 10

DAANES DD: 12

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A former HXP recruit conﬁrmed that the dura on of the Self-Defence Duty is one year.

However, his service was extended by two months because the military recruitment oﬃce

needed more me to recruit new conscripts. He stated that this extension applied not only to

him but also to his en re group. This type of service extension (Ehtefaz) occurs occasionally

depending on the situa on.

Furthermore, men who have completed their military service can voluntarily re-enlist for a

period of two years as professional soldiers in op onal corps called

the Filaq,

where they

receive a higher rank and be er salary compared to during their Self-Defence service.

The sources consulted by DIS were unaware of any recent cases regarding individuals called up

for reserve duty in the HXP following their discharge.

According to Wladimir van Wilgenburg, the legal provisions regarding the length of the Self-

Defence are generally upheld by the DAANES authori es.

2.4. Conscription process

Conscrip on for the Self-Defence Duty takes place once or twice a year, during which the

authori es announce the speciﬁc age groups for conscrip on on TV and their media

pla orms.

The call-up of the speciﬁc group for conscrip on is based not only on the year of

birth, but also on speciﬁc dates of birth. Currently, individuals born in 1998 and later are being

conscripted, making the age group for conscrip on 18 to 26 years old.

Among the sources consulted, the informa on diﬀered on whether summons le ers are sent to

the address of the conscripts in case of failure to report for duty.

Once their conscrip on has been announced, persons belonging to the age group called up are

expected to report for duty at the recruitment centre in their area to obtain a military booklet,

which is then ﬁlled in.

The format of military booklet has not been subject to any change

recently. A copy of the Self-Defence Duty booklet has been provided by the DAANES

Representa on Oﬃce in KRI and is found in Annex 2 of this report.

2.5. Service in the Self-Defence Duty Forces

The Self-Defence Duty Forces (HXP) is under the administra on of the Syrian Democra c

Council (SDC). It operates independently of the Syrian Democra c Forces (SDF) and has its own

Former HXP-recruit: 15

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 9

Syrian Kurdish expert: 19; DAANES DD: 11

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 17

Former HXP-recruit: 2; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 4; Syrian Kurdish expert: 14

DAANES DD: 1,2

Syrian Kurdish expert: 15; DAANES Representa on in KRI: 5

Syrian Kurdish expert: 13

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military leadership. However, the SDF delegates assignments to the HXP and determines its

deployment loca ons.

The HXP are considered auxiliary forces to the SDF.

Several sources, including a former HXP recruit who completed his conscrip on two years ago,

reported that service in the HXP begins with a basic theore cal and prac cal military training

programme.

During the theore cal part, conscripts receive instruc on in general NES history as well as

culture and ethics. They also receive a theore cal introduc on to military subjects, including

military terms and weapons. In the prac cal part of the training programme, conscripts

undergo physical training and weapons training.

Conscripts are not allowed any days oﬀ during their ini al basic training period. A er

comple ng their training, they are allowed 8-10 days oﬀ before star ng at their respec ve units

and tasks they have been assigned to. Subsequently, for the remainder of their service,

conscripts are en tled to one day oﬀ a er every ten days of service.

A er the training period, which takes up to about two months, conscripts are assigned to

various du es at diﬀerent centres or units, where they serve for the remainder of their

service.

The conscripts' educa on or qualiﬁca ons are o en taken into considera on when

they are assigned to their du es. For example, those with stronger educa onal backgrounds

and skills are assigned to du es in oﬃces or ins tu ons, which could beneﬁt from their skills.

Conscripts with low level or no educa onal backgrounds are o en assigned to tasks related to

guarding or protec ng public buildings.

2.5.1. Use of conscripts in combat

According to consulted sources, the HXP is an auxiliary force with the main task of guarding or

protec ng public buildings and suppor ng the SDF and they are thus generally not used in

combat situa ons.

The former HXP-recruit stated that at no point during his conscrip on two

years ago (2022) were he or any of the 200 other conscripts he was with deployed to ac ve

combat opera ons.

However, there have been instances, where the HXP were involved in combat situa ons, for

instance during the ba le for Afrin in 2018,

100

heavy ﬁgh ng in Deir Ezzour in summer 2023,

Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs of the Netherlands,

Country of origin informa on report Syria,

August 2023,

url,

p. 58; Al-Monitor,In

Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, SDF conscrip on ’severs livelihoods’,

22 February 2021,

url

DAANES FRD: 8; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 16

Former HXP-recruit: 5; Syrian Kurdish expert: 18; DAANES FRD: 9; Syrian university professor: 7

Former HXP-recruit: 5, 6, 7

Former HXP-recruit: 10

Former HXP-recruit: 11

Former HXP-recruit: 13; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 18, 19

Syrian university professor: 7; the representa on of the DAANES in KRI: 12; Syrian Kurdish expert: 25; former HXP-

recrut: 24; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 16; DAANES FRD: 10; a Syrian human rights organiza on: 2

Former HXP-recruit: 14

100

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 12

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the ﬁgh ng at Tell Abyad and ISIS a acks on Hasakah prison (2022), which was primarily

guarded by the HXP. In some of these combats, the HXP suﬀered casual es.

101

However,

according to the DAANES representa on oﬃce in KRI, these cases are rare and even in such

instances conscripts are generally not used on the front lines.

102

The majority of conscripts in the HXP carry out their tasks, such as guarding certain buildings or

areas, within their own region.

103

According to the DAANES Representa on Oﬃce in KRI, only a

minority of conscripts are transferred to areas outside of their home region.

104

2.5.2. Violations against civilians

A Human Rights organisa on informed the DIS that the HXP does not commit human rights

viola ons against civilians, mainly because HXP conscripts serve in their local areas. The source

further stated that as the areas under DAANES control are tribal, the conscripts are careful

about how they behave in their local areas since there will be consequences for any

misbehaviour.

105

2.5.2. Treatment of other ethnic groups during service

The sources consulted by DIS generally agreed that Arabs or other ethnic groups in NES do not

face discrimina on in the HXP.

106

A Syrian Kurdish expert stated that there was no indica on of systema c discrimina on against

HXP conscripts based on their ethnicity during their service, though individual cases could

happen rarely. The expert further explained that discrimina on does not occur in the HXP

because the DAANES does not want to create tension between ethnic groups. In some cases,

Kurds perceive DAANES authori es as being more ﬂexible with Arab communi es than with

Kurdish communi es to win their support.

107

The same source emphasised that NES is a mul -ethnic and religiously diverse region

characterised by complexi es, ongoing conﬂict, and uncertainty. Consequently, governing this

region requires careful considera on of the treatment of other ethnic groups. The source also

men oned Hasakah and Qamishli as places with a large Arab popula on, which is why many

Arabs are conscripted for the Self-Defence Duty there.

108

The former HXP recruit consulted by DIS stated that despite HXP instructors some mes having

a strict a tude towards the conscripts, he did not experience any discriminatory or inhuman

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 16

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 12

103

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 11; Syrian Human Rights Organiza on: 2, 3

104

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 11

105

Syrian Human Rights Organiza on: 3

106

Syrian Kurdish expert: 20, 21; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 14: Former HXP-recruit: 9; DAANES FRD: 2; Syrian

university professor: 5

107

Syrian Kurdish expert: 20, 21

108

Syrian Kurdish expert: 21, 22

101

102

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treatment by the instructors during his training against conscripts because of their ethnic

background or because of being dra evaders before they were conscripted.

109

2.6. Consequences of evasion and desertion from the Self-Defence

Duty

According to Ar cle 15 of the Self-Defence Duty Law, dra evaders conscripted to the Self-

Defence Duty will be punished by one addi onal month of service.

110

The consulted sources

informed DIS that addi onal month of service is the consequence of evading in prac ce.

111

The names of dra evaders are publicised and circulated to checkpoints.

112

Evaders are sought

a er at checkpoints in NES, which limits their mobility in the region.

113

Authori es do not

search for evaders at their homes.

114

Instead, evaders will be temporarily detained and then

sent to perform their duty when they are iden ﬁed at a checkpoint.

115

The family of the

individual will be informed about the situa on of their apprehended family member and his

conscrip on.

116

According to one source, the law is strictly enforced regarding conscrip on of

evaders.

117

The former HXP conscript consulted by DIS stated that evasion from the Self-Defence Duty is

o en based on a fear of being assigned to combat du es. It is the source’s percep on that this

is a misunderstanding, as the HXP is an auxiliary force and is not used in combat.

118

The sources were not aware of any cases of violence or mistreatment of evaders or deserters

caught at checkpoints.

119

Life is challenging for those evading Self-Defence Duty in NES, with many young men avoiding

checkpoints and wai ng for opportuni es to ﬂee. Sources reported of evaders remaining

hidden for years.

120

In Arab-dominated areas, evasion may persist longer due to authori es'

cau ous measures not to provoke tensions by seeking and arres ng those, who have failed

their duty.

121

The law does not s pulate any speciﬁc repercussions regarding deserters.

122

According to two

consulted sources, whilst evaders do not face addi onal punishment, deserters undergo

Former HXP-recruit: 9

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

111

DAANES DD: 10; Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 9

112

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 16

113

Former HXP-recruit: 18; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 15; Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 6

114

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 16

115

DAANES FRD: 14; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 15; Former HXP-recruit: 18

116

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 15; Former HXP-recruit: 18; DAANES FRD: 14

117

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 15

118

Former HXP-recruit: 24

119

Former HXP-recruit: 19; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 17; Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 7; DAANES Representa on in KRI: 16

120

Former HXP-recruit: 22, 23; Syrian Kurdish expert: 23

121

Syrian Kurdish expert: 26

122

Self-Defence Duty Law, annex 3

109

110

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inves ga ons about their mo ves for their deser on.

123

Deserters o en opt to leave the region

out of concern for poten al repercussions, although the speciﬁcs of these consequences

remain unclear. Periodic amnes es are announced for both evaders and deserters, provided

that they report for and conduct their Self-Defence Duty. The most recent amnesty was issued

in early May 2024.

124

Young individuals typically fulﬁl their Self-Defence Duty obliga ons promptly during periods of

stable security in NES, whilst they may ac vely seek to avoid service amid ongoing external

security threats.

125

2.6.2 Consequences for family members to draft evaders and deserters

Family members of dra evaders and deserters are not penalised. Sources were unaware of any

cases where family members of evaders and deserters faced harassment or other viola ons

due to their rela ves’ evasion or deser on, even in cases where the evader is detained at a

checkpoint.

126

Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 7, 8; Syrian Kurdish expert: 23

Syrian Kurdish expert: 24

125

Syrian Kurdish expert: 25

126

Former HXP-recruit: 19, 20; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 17; Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 5; Syrian university professor: 6;

DAANES Representa on in KRI: 16

123

124

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3. Recruitment to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)

The SDF was established in October 2015, following Russia's interven on in the Syrian conﬂict.

It is a Kurdish-led, mul -ethnic coali on comprising several armed groups, including the

People's Protec on Units (YPG; Yekîneyên Paras na Gel) and the Women's Protec on Units

(YPJ; Yekîneyên Paras na Jinê).

127

The SDF con nues to serve as the primary military force for

the DAANES and maintains close coordina on with its Defence Department, following its

previous important role in the interna onal coali on's campaign against the Islamic State

(IS).

128

There is a discrepancy in the ﬁgures provided by diﬀerent sources regarding the current

number of ﬁghters with the SDF, which range from 50,000 to 100,000.

129

Although frequently conﬂated with the Self-Defence Duty Forces (HXP), the SDF and the HXP

are separate military forces within the DAANES administra on and have diﬀerent command

structures.

130

In contrast to the HXP, the SDF is a professional military force that is deployed to

the frontlines and conducts combat opera ons.

131

From June 2022 to July 2023, the SDF

conducted opera ons against the Islamic State (IS) cells opera ng in DAANES territory, and a

renewed surge in IS a acks in April 2024 has led to the SDF’s highest monthly casualty rate

since 2019.

132

Although several wri en sources have reported on conscrip on to the SDF, the recruitment of

personnel to the SDF remains voluntary and is based on a contract between the SDF and the

individual concerned.

133

The standard dura on of the contract is two years’ service with the

SDF, although this can be extended at the volunteers’ discre on.

134

There are a number of factors that con nue to mo vate individuals to voluntarily join the SDF.

These include economic incen ves, such as the rela vely high salaries paid by the SDF

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 21; ICG,

Steadying the New

Status Quo in the Syria’s North East, 27 November 2019,

url;

Knights M., & van Wilgenburg W.,

Accidental Allies: The

U.S. – Syrian Democra c Forces Partnership Against the Islamic State,

2021,

url,

p. 83-85; European Council on

Foreign Rela ons (ECFR),

Syrian Democra c Forces (Syria),

10 November 2020,

url;

Netherlands (The), Ministry of

Foreign Aﬀairs,

Country of Origin Informa on Report Syria,

August 2023,

url,

p. 14; Omran Center for Strategic

Studies,

Military and Security Structures of the Autonomous Administra on in Syria,

24 January 2018,

url,

p. 45

128

European Council on Foreign Rela ons (ECFR),

Syrian Democra c Forces (Syria),

10 November 2020,

url;

ICG,

Steadying the New Status Quo in the Syria’s North East, 27 November 2019,

url;

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 20;

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 1; Syrian Kurdish expert: 25

129

EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on,

October 2023,

url,p.

130

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 5; Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url

131

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 1; Syrian Kurdish expert: 25; DAANES FRD: 10; Syrian university professor: 7

132

Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs,

Country of Origin Informa on Report Syria,

August 2023,

url,

p. 14;

EUAA,

Syria: Targe ng of Individuals, September 2022,

url,

p. 49; Etana Syria,

Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria –

April 2024,

8 May 2024,

url

133

DAANES FRD: 15; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 3; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 20-21; Syrian human rights

organisa on: 10; Syrian Kurdish expert: 29; DAANES representa on KRI: 19-20; Syrian university professor: 9;

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 22; Etana Syria,

Syria Military

Brief: North East Syria – July 2023,

August 2023,

url;

Netherlands (The) , Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs,

Country of Origin

Informa on Report Syria,

August 2023,

url,

p. 58

134

DAANES FRD: 15; DAANES representa on KRI: 20

127

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compared to other armed groups, which are eﬀec ve in areas with limited op ons for

alterna ve employment, such as Raqqa and Deir Ezzour.

135

Addi onally, the SDF’s capacity to provide protec on from other actors and threats is a

signiﬁcant factor in its ability to recruit personnel in areas with an Arab majority, and ethnic

Kurds join the SDF to defend their region.

136

Seyredin Yusuf, a Syrian journalist based in Erbil,

asserted that the SDF refrains from recrui ng by force in order to maintain its reputa on as a

professional military force.

137

3.1 Recruitment process

The recruitment of SDF personnel is conducted by the local military councils, which are situated

within the three military regions of DAANES.

138

Individuals who wish to volunteer for the SDF

are aware of the recruitment process and the appropriate channels for doing so. Therefore,

adver sing recruitment via public channels such as social media is not necessary.

139

A Syrian Kurdish expert based in Europe has indicated that the recruitment process to the SDF

has undergone changes over me, with varia ons observed between regions. These changes

appear to be inﬂuenced by the propor on of the popula on that is Arabic or Kurdish.

140

Syrian university professor has stated that at present, 60% of the SDF is comprised of Arabs.

141

The SDF conducts an iden ty veriﬁca on in connec on with recruitment, as well as a

background check through the smallest administra ve unit the territory controlled by the

DAANES, the

Komeen.

Individuals applying to join the SDF are required to present their na onal

ID card, family documents and a local iden ty document known as a

Shahadet al-

Tariﬀ/Nasnameh

issued by the local

Komeen.

142

3.2 Recruitment of women

In line with the informa on provided in the

DIS 2022 report,

there have been no reports of

women being forced to join the SDF during the current repor ng period.

143

In DAANES territory,

women who have been ostracised from their family or tribe may join the YPJ, the women's

armed force of the SDF, in order to escape from their situa on. However, there are no available

ﬁgures on the extent of ostracism faced by women, making it diﬃcult to gauge how frequently

this occurs.

144

Syrian university professor: 9; Syrian Kurdish expert: 29; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 20; Wladimir van Wilgenburg;

2,13;

136

Syrian Kurdish expert: 30

137

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 21

138

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 22; Knights M., & van

Wilgenburg W.,

Accidental Allies: The U.S. – Syrian Democra c Forces Partnership Against the Islamic State,

2021,

url,

pp. 185-186

139

DAANES representa on KRI: 20

140

Syrian Kurdish expert: 29

141

Syrian university professor: 10

142

DAANES representa on KRI: 23

143

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 4

144

Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs,

Country of Origin Informa on Report Syria,

August 2023,

url,

p. 50

135

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3.3 Recruitment of minors

There have been reports of recruitment of individuals under the age of 18 into the SDF during

the current repor ng period However, the exact numbers and the extent to which this

recruitment was conducted by use of physical force (e.g. kidnappings) remain unclear, as the

recruitment of minors is a poli cally sensi ve issue.

145

Proponents of the SDF and the DAANES tend to understate this issue by sugges ng that these

recruitment prac ces do not occur or that the situa on has improved. Conversely, those who

are cri cal of the SDF and the DAANES and tend to overstate the number of these cases.

146

Syrians for Truth and Jus ce (STJ) has reported that the SDF and other groups, including the

Revolu onary Youth Movement (RYM), con nue to recruit minors. However, the number of

recruited minors has, according to STJ, decreased in recent years to dozens of cases each year;

a number which includes recruitment of minors to all groups ac ve in NES.

147

A representa ve

from the Child Protec on Oﬃce informed the DIS that the number of minors recruited to the

SDF has ﬂuctuated in recent years, with approximately 100 cases per year previously and

approximately 50 cases in 2023.

148

A similar ﬁgure was reported by the STJ in an ar cle

published on 31 January 2024.

149

Several other consulted sources similarly indicated that the number of cases regarding the

recruitment of minors to the SDF has decreased in recent years, although recruitment of

minors s ll occurs.

150

A Syrian human rights organisa on stated that it had not received any

informa on regarding the recent recruitment of minors by the SDF. However, parents of minors

who join the RYM (see

chapter 4)

typically claim that their children have joined the SDF.

151

such cases, the parents of recruited minors are the primary source of informa on about their

recruitment.

152

On the other hand, the latest report on children and armed conﬂict in the Syrian Arab Republic,

published by the United Na ons Security Council, indicates an 80% increase in veriﬁed cases of

child recruitment a ributed to the SDF and the Asayish since the last report.

153

The same

report indicates that 829 minors were recruited by the SDF between July 2020 and September

2022.

154

STJ: 1; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 20

STJ: 1,4

147

STJ: 2

148

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 3;

149

STJ,

Syria: Over 50 Children Recruited in AANES areas in 2023,

31 January 2024,

url;

Kurdistan24,

52 cases of child

recruitment in northeast Syria in 2023: Syrians for Truth and Jus ce,

2 February 2024,

url

150

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 1; Syrian Kurdish expert: 32; STJ: 11, 13; Wladimir van Wilgenburg; 6

151

Syrian Human Rights Organisa on: 11

152

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 22: STJ: 4; SNHR 2; Child Protec on Oﬃce: 3

153

UNSC,

Children and armed conﬂict in the Syrian Arab Republic – Report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/805),

October 2023,

url,

p. 5

154

UNSC,

Children and armed conﬂict in the Syrian Arab Republic – Report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/805),

October 2023,

url,

p. 5

145

146

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The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) recorded at least 672 cases of minors being

recruited to the YPG/SDF in the period from July 2012 un l June 2024. Addi onally, the SNHR

has recorded the discharge of 301 minors a er being recruited, while 341 minors remain ac ve

with the SDF. The SNHR has also reported that at least 30 minors recruited by the YPG/SDF

have been killed in combat.

155

The SNHR stated that the recruitment of minors in NES is

common prac ce. Furthermore, the scale of recruitment has increased as the SDF has

consolidated its security and military control over the NES region.

156

The SNHR has also observed that the number of cases regarding the recruitment of minors

tends to increase when there are clashes between the SDF and Turkish forces in the region.

157

In their report published in November 2023, the SNHR reported of abduc on of minors for the

purpose of military recruitment.

158

It should be noted that the SNHR report includes

recruitment by the Revolu onary Youth Movement (RYM) as recruitment to the SDF, although

they are separate groups.

159

Several consulted sources noted that various incen ves mo vate minors to join diﬀerent

groups, including emo onal, ideological or economic reasons, as well as domes c problems

such as household violence.

160

According to the Syrians for Truth and Jus ce, there is limited

evidence that the recruitment of minors into the SDF involves the use of physical force (e.g.

kidnappings).

161

However, according to STJ, the Syrian law s pulates that a minor is legally under the custody of

their parents, and recruitment of persons under the age of 18 by any party to the conﬂict may

amount to “exploita on of minors”.

162

Therefore, recruitment of minors by armed groups

without the parents’ consent is considered by the general popula on and some of the

consulted sources a viola on of the parents’ custody and thereby a forced recruitment,

regardless of whether the minor joins a par cular group of their own voli on.

163

This

percep on is also shared by a number of interna onal organisa ons, including UN

organisa ons, who consider any recruitment of children forced due to the impossibility for a

child to give free and informed consent.

164

3.3.1. The Office for the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict

Following the signing of an ac on plan with the United Na ons in 2019, the Oﬃce for the

Protec on of Children in Armed Conﬂict (henceforth the Child Protec on Oﬃce) was

SNHR: 12

SNHR: 7

157

SNHR: 1, 3, 7

158

SNHR:

On World Children’s Day: SNHR’s 12

Annual Report on Viola ons against Children in Syria,

20 November

2024,

url,

p. 50-51

159

Wlaidimir van Wilgenburg: 18

160

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 10; DAANES representa on KRI: 21-22; Syrian Kurdish expert: 31; Wladimir van

Wilgenburg: 7

161

STJ: 11

162

STJ: 5

163

SNHR: 8; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 21

164

Oﬃce of the Special Representa ve of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conﬂict, Interna onal law,

url;

Global Protec on Cluster,

Protec on Risk: Forced Recruitment and Associa on of Children in Armed Forces and

Groups,

url

155

156

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established as part of the DAANES administra on, and is s ll opera onal.

165

Although the

number of oﬃces has decreased, there are currently six func oning Child Protec on Oﬃces,

which are located in Al-Tabqa, Kobane, Jazira, Raqqa, Deir Ezzour and Manbij.

166

The Child Protec on Oﬃce is responsible for cases pertaining to the recruitment of minors by

the SDF. Recruitment of minors by other groups, including the RYM, is not within the scope of

the oﬃce's mandate.

167

Parents of recruited minors can approach their area’s Child Protec on Oﬃce to ﬁle a case

complaining about their child’s recruitment. The complaints and the required documents

submi ed by parents are then forwarded by the oﬃce in ques on to the relevant SDF oﬃce in

a physical and electronic format. The processing me for this type of complaint is 15-30 days.

168

This is primarily due to the amount of internal movement by people in the region, which

complicates regular communica on. In addi on, a lack of documenta on for the minor's age or

the submission of fraudulent documents can further complicate cases.

169

The consulted sources provided diﬀering assessments of the eﬃcacy of the Child Protec on

Oﬃces. The SNHR observed that the Child Protec on Oﬃces lack the necessary authority and

capacity to locate and release recruited minors. Since early 2023, the SNHR has not recorded

any releases of recruited minors by the SDF through these oﬃces.

170

The STJ noted that the

Child Protec on Oﬃces' recent decline in ac vity is due to shi ing priori es within the SDF,

despite the fact that these oﬃces were eﬀec ve and provided reliable informa on regarding

the recruitment of minors.

171

The Jazira Child Protec on Oﬃce stated that the SDF has procedures in place to determine

whether a person a emp ng to enlist with them is under 18 years of age. Out of the 50 cases

reported to the Jazira Child Protec on Oﬃce last year, approximately 40 were resolved with the

discharge of the minors in ques on from the SDF.

172

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url, p. 23;

UNSC,

Children and

armed conﬂict in the Syrian Arab Republic – Report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/805),

27 October 2023,

url,

p. 5;

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 1: SNHR: 4

166

STJ: 14; Child Protec on Oﬃce: 1

167

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 2

168

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 5

169

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 6

170

SNHR: 4,5

171

STJ: 14

172

Child Protec on Oﬃce: 7

165

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4. Recruitment to the PKK

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Par ya Karkerên Kurdistan: PKK) is currently s ll subject to EU

sanc ons under the speciﬁc measures to combat terrorism, and is considered a terrorist

organisa on by several state actors.

173

The group was established in the 1970s and is ideologically

based on Kurdish na onalism and Marxist-Leninism.

174

Although formally independent, the SDF and the DAANES are ideologically and organisa onally

linked to the PKK.

175

Several former and current members of the PKK occupy key posi ons within

the military and civilian administra on of the DAANES, including the current leader of the SDF,

Mazloum Abdi.

176

There are also numerous images of the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan displayed

in oﬃcial buildings in NES.

177

4.1. Recruitment to the PKK/HPG

In the previous DIS report from 2022, sources interviewed by the DIS generally concurred that

the PKK and its military wing did not employ force to recruit in NES.

178

A Syrian university

professor has stated that this remains the case, and that the PKK and its military wing, the

People’s Defence Forces (HPG), do not use force to recruit members in NES. Rather, the PKK

uses indirect methods to recruit young people through the RYM (See

chapter 4.2).

179

The professor went on to elaborate that the tendency of younger genera ons to join military

groups such as the PKK or SDF or groups like the RYM should be viewed in the context of their

upbringing during the Syrian conﬂict. This has exposed them to conﬂict, extremism and

constant risk of viola ons throughout their lives, making them now familiar with the language

of violence.

180

4.2 Recruitment to the Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM)

The Revolu onary Youth Movement, Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger in Kurdish, was established in

2011. It is a radical poli cal youth organisa on aﬃliated with the Democra c Union Party(PYD),

and according to some sources, the PKK.

181

Nevertheless, the precise nature of this aﬃlia on

European council,

Council Implemen ng Regula on (EU) 2023/329 implemen ng Ar cle 2(3) of Regula on (EC)

No 2580/200 on speciﬁc restric ve measures directed against certain persons and en es with a view to comba ng

terrorism, and repealing implemen ng regula on (EU) 2023/1505,

16 January 2024,

url;

USDoS,

Foreign Terrorist

Organiza ons,

n.d.,

url;

ANS,

Listed terrorist organisa ons,

24 May 2024,

url;

UK Home Oﬃce,

Proscribed terrorist

groups or organisa ons,

n.d.,

url

174

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url, p. 26;

CSIS, Examining

Extremism: Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK), 13 July 2023,

url

175

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url, p. 26

176

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June ;2022,

url, p. 26;

EASO, Syria: Security

Situa on, July 2021,

url, p. 24;

Omran Center for Strategic Studies,

The Autonomous Administra on: A Judicial

Approach to Understanding the Model and Experience, 7 March 2022,

url,

p. 149-150

177

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url, p. 26

178

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url, p. 26

179

Syrian university professor: 19

180

Syrian university professor: 18

181

Denmark, DIS,

Syria – Military Recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url;

STJ,

Northeastern Syria: The

RY Use of Child Soldiers Con nues unabated,

7 July 2023,

url;

STJ, Northeastern Syria,

The Revolu onary Youth

173

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and the organisa onal structure of the group remain uncertain.

182

According to a Syrian human

rights organisa on, the RYM operates as an independent en ty, yet the movement is

ideologically aligned with the PKK and regards Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the PKK, as a role

model.

183

The RYM engages in a range of ac vi es designed to promote its ideology and indoctrinate the

youth in NES.

184

These ac vi es include organising language and music classes, as well as

poli cal mee ngs and demonstra ons

185

and serve as an introduc on to the SDF and other

armed groups in the region.

186

The RYM has oﬃces in Amuda and Qamishli, and the group conducts demonstra ons,

advoca ng for its views and encouraging poli cal engagement among young people in NES.

187

The RYM has also been linked to a acks on journalists, protestors and the Kurdish Na onal

Council (KNC), a poli cal party in opposi on to the PYD.

188

Members of the RYM adopt a dis nc ve militant appearance and behaviour, using speciﬁc

language, clothing, and mannerisms to convey their revolu onary ideals.

189

Addi onally, they

listen to na onalist Kurdish songs and partake in cultural events that reinforce their ideological

messages.

190

According to a consulted Syrian university professor, since 2022, there has been a notable

increase in the recruitment of minors by the RYM.

191

The public in NES generally disapprove of

the RYM's ac vi es. Many locals, as well as some DAANES authori es, have expressed

dissa sfac on with the group, although no substan al ac on has been taken against it due to

A acks Journalists and Protestors,

21 October 2021,

url;

Kurdistan24,

PKK-aﬃliated group a acks houses of KNC-

members: KNC,

21 October 2021,

url;

Syrian Kurdish expert: 33; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 22; Syrian human rights

organisa on: 9

182

STJ: 6; Syrian Kurdish expert: 36; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 26

183

Syrian human rights organisa on: 8

184

Syrian university professor: 15; STJ: 3; Syrian Kurdish expert: 34

185

Syrian university professor: 12; STJ 3; Syrian Kurdish expert: 13

186

Syrian university professor: 12; STJ 3; Syrian Kurdish expert: 33; SNHR: 6; Syrian human rights organiza on: 7

187

Syrian university professor: 11; Syrian Kurdish expert: 33; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 26

188

The Syria Jus ce and Accountability Centre,

“She is S ll a Child” – Inves ga ng Recruitment Prac ces by the

Revolu onary Youth in NE Syria,

April 2024,

url;

Kurdistan24,

Syrian Revolu onary Youth Con nues to recruit minors

in Northeast Syria: Syrian Watchdog,

9 July 2023,

url;

STJ,

Syria: 49 Cases of Child Soldier Recuritment Veriﬁed in

AAANES areas in 2022,

25 January 2023,

url;

STJ, Syria:

Over 50 Children Recruited in AANES Areas in 2023,

January 2024,

url;

STJ,

Northeastern Syria: The RY Use of Child Soldiers Con nues unabated,

7 July 2023,

url;

Enab

Baladi,

Al-Hasaka: Revolu onary Youth Movement kidnaps minor girls and recruits them,

14 March 2024,

url;

STJ,

Northeastern Syria: The Revolu onary Youth A acks Journalists and Protestors,

21 October 2021,

url;

Kurdistan24,

PKK-aﬃliated group a acks houses of KNC-members: KNC,

21 October 2021,

url;

Kurdistan24,

A acks on KNC oﬃces

in Syria con nue despite US call to stop,

24 April 2024,

url;

STJ,

Northeastern Syria: Repeated A acks on Media

Oﬃces and Poli cal Party Headquarters,

28 October 2021,

url;

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 18, 19; Seyredin Yusuf

(journalist): 22, 23; STJ: 3;

189

Syrian university professor: 17

190

Syrian university professor: 17

191

Syrian university professor: 11

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internal divisions within the DAANES and the alleged inﬂuence of the PKK in the

administra on.

192

Historically, the RYM was more popular in the ﬁrst years of the Syrian conﬂict, but the group

has become increasingly radicalised.

193

There have been reports of a acks on families

protes ng against this group's ac vi es.

194

Although the RYM is not a military organisa on and

does not provide military training itself,

195

there is specula on that minors recruited by RYM

become ﬁghters for the PKK or the SDF.

196

There have been reports of minors being

indoctrinated by the group and ending up in training camps in the Qandil or Sinjar

mountains.

197

However, the number of conﬁrmed reports about such cases has been limited,

according the Kurdish media.

198

In addi on, the parent’s claims about their children being taken

to Qandil have some mes turned out not to be correct as subsequent inves ga ons have

revealed that their child was elsewhere in Syria. For example, in one case, parents claimed that

their child had been taken to Qandil, but it was later discovered that the child was in Manbij.

199

4.2.1. Recruitment practices

Reports on the RYM’s recruitment methods are inconsistent. Whilst several consulted sources

indicate that recruitment of minors by the RYM takes place through encouragement,

200

other

sources report about prevalence of cases where minors are recruited by use of physical force,

including instances of kidnapping from schools or homes.

201

It has been reported that minors have been recruited across NES, including in Qamishli, Sheikh

Maqsoud, Manbij, Raqqa and Ayn al-Arab/Kobane.

202

One source stated that there was less

recruitment to the RYM in areas with an Arab majority, such as Raqqa or Deir Ezzour, in

comparison to regions with a high concentra on of Kurds, such as Hasakah and Qamishli.

203

Reports of forced recruitment commonly originate from the Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood of

Aleppo,

204

as well as areas with a GoS presence, such as Hasakah.

205

One source raised ques on

Syrian university professor: 14; SNHR: 9; Enab Baladi,

Al-Hasakah: Revolu onary Youth Movement kidnaps minor

girls and recruits them,

14 March 2024,

url;

STJ,

Syria: 49 Cases of Child Soldier Recruitment Veriﬁed in AAANES areas

in 2022,

25 January 2023,

url

193

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 23

194

SNHR: 10

195

Syrian university professor: 15; Syrian human rights organisa on: 7;

196

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 25

197

Syrian university professor: 15;

198

STJ: 10

199

STJ: 10

200

Syrian university professor: 12; Syrian Kurdish expert: 34; SNHR: 6; Syrian human rights organisa on: 6; Seyredin

Yusuf (journalist): 24; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: STJ: 3

201

SNHR,

On World Children’s Day: SNHR’s 12

Annual Report on Viola ons against Children in Syria,

20 November

2024,

url,

p. 50-53; Enab Baladi,

Al-: Revolu onary Youth Movement kidnaps minor girls and recruits them,

14 March

2024,

url;

Etana Syria, Syria Military Brief: North-East Syria,

July 2023,

url;

SNHR: 6; STJ: 4; Wladimir van Wilgenburg:

202

STJ,

Syria: Over 50 Children Recruited in AANES areas in 2023,

31 January 2024,

url

203

STJ: 8

204

SNHR: 6; Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 23

205

SNHR: 6

192

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

about the poli cal mo ves behind these reports, as they tend to be published by media outlets

that are cri cal of the DAANES.

206

The majority of sources interviewed by DIS generally agreed that the RYM’s recruitment

method is primarily focused on poli cal indoctrina on with the objec ve of luring or a rac ng

young people through cultural and ideological ac vi es rather than using force.

207

One source

described the RYM's objec ve as winning the hearts and minds of the younger genera on and

encouraging them to follow the group and its ideology.

208

A number of sources indicated that the RYM capitalises on the security, economic, social and

domes c issues faced by young people in NES, and presents its ideology as an alterna ve and

solu on to these issues.

209

A Syrian human rights organisa on also men oned the a rac on of

being part of an organisa on as one of the reasons why minors tend to join the RYM.

210

Similarly, the STJ reported that the majority of recruited minors come from families facing

socio-economic and domes c problems, such as poverty, absent or divorced parents, or

domes c violence. The circumstances render minors par cularly vulnerable to the ideological

propaganda of the RYM.

211

A Syrian university professor stated that the RYM's recruitment

eﬀorts are mainly conducted by young adults aged 18 and older, who primarily focus on

recrui ng adolescents.

212

However, the local popula on and interna onal organisa ons consider any recruitment

without parental consent as forced, blurring the dis nc on between voluntary and coerced

recruitment.

213

Parents are o en the primary source of informa on regarding the recruitment

of minors to the RYM, which addi onally blurs the dis nc on.

214

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 23

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 24; SNHR: 6; STJ: 3; Syrian university professor: 12

208

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 22

209

Syrian university professor: 18; SNHR: 6: Syrian human rights organisa on: 6; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 22; STJ:

210

Syrian human rights organisa on: 6

211

STJ: 7

212

Syrian university professor: 16

213

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 21; SNHR: 8

214

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 22; Syrian Human rights organisa on; 6, 11; STJ: 4

206

207

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

5. Recruitment to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA)

The Government of Syria (GoS) maintains a limited presence in the Kurdish controlled areas of

NES.

215

The rela onship between the GoS and the SDF in these areas has been characterised by

limited coordina on regarding security and governance, along with sporadic episodes of

tension.

216

Despite the frozen frontlines and reduced demand for soldiers since 2020, the SAA con nues to

conscript young men for military service as well as reserve duty in all areas under its control in

Syria.

217

However, recruitment to the SAA in NES is carried out diﬀerently from the areas of

Syria under the control of the GoS.

218

5.2 Conscription to the SAA

In 2022, DIS reported that the GoS was unable to recruit residents from areas under DAANES

control.

219

In line with this informa on, Wladimir van Wilgenburg informed DIS that there is a

de facto agreement between the DAANES and the GoS, which generally inhibits the GoS from

recrui ng for military service in NES. However, the security squares of Hasakah and Qamishli

are outside of the SDF zone of inﬂuence.

220

A Syrian human rights organisa on indicated that the GoS is recrui ng for military service in the

areas of NES under its control. However, they are reluctant to enforce conscrip on laws due to

their limited power and control.

221

According to the sources consulted by the DIS, dra evaders or individuals with outstanding

security issues will not be detained on the streets of the security squares in Hasakah or

Qamishli. However, these individuals are at risk of being apprehended by the GoS if they

approach GoS oﬃces in these areas.

222

At these oﬃces, GoS authori es are able to iden fy and

detain wanted persons by conduc ng a search in databases with informa on about such

persons.

223

One source elaborated that wanted dra evaders risk deten on if they a empt to travel from

Qamishli to Damascus by air, as the airport in Qamishli is located in Qamishli’s security square

and controlled by the GoS.

224

For this reason, individuals with outstanding security issues or

Denmark, DIS,

Syria recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 29; EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on,

October 2023,

url,

p. 105; Ciwan Isso (lawyer): 4; Hossein Naasoo (lawyer): 1-3; Zaki Mohammad Hajji (lawyer): 1;

DAANES FRD: 16

216

EUAA,

Syria – Security Situa on,

October 2023,

url;

EUAA,

Syria: Security Situa on,

September 2022,

url,

p. 150;

EASO,

Syria Actors,

December 2019,

url;

p.40 ;Enab Baladi,

SDF seizes six state buildings in Qamishli,

14 April 2022,

url

217

Denmark, DIS,

Syria Military Service,

January 2024,

url

, p. 5

218

Denmark, DIS,

Syria recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 29

219

Denmark, DIS,

Syria recruitment in Hasakah Governorate,

June 2022,

url,

p. 29

220

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 31

221

Syrian human rights organisa on: 11; Zaki Mohammad Hajji (lawyer): 3,6; DAANES DER: 20; DAANES KRI

222

DAANES KRI: 27

223

DAANES KRI: 27; Zaki Mohammad Hajji (lawyer): 2,6; Mahmoud Omar (lawyer): 2; DAANES DER: 20

224

Zaki Mohammad Hajj (lawyer): 5

215

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

wanted for military service are reluctant to approach the security square in Qamishli, as well as

the government oﬃces in the Hasakah security square.

225

According to the DAANES’ Foreign Rela ons Department, there have been isolated instances of

individuals being conscripted by force in the security squares. However, the DAANES was able

to intervene and secure their release.

226

5.3 Voluntary recruitment to the SAA

Residents of the DAANES-controlled areas can choose to join the SAA voluntarily.

227

To prevent

deser on, men conscripted by the SAA in NES are oﬀered the op on to serve in their areas of

origin. Consequently, when men from GoS-controlled areas in NES, such as certain villages

south of Qamishli, reach military age, they tend to enlist for military service because they are

aware that they will be serving in their own areas. If they do not enlist, GoS authori es will not

ac vely seek to recruit them, as the GoS has limited control in these areas.

228

Wladimir van Wligenburg: 30, 31

DAANES FRD: 21

227

Denmark, DIS,

Syria Military Service,

January 2024,

url;

Syrian human rights organisa on: 12

228

Syrian Human Rights Organisa on: 13

225

226

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MILITARY RECRUITMENT IN NORT H AND EAS T SYRIA (NE S)

6. Local knowledge about different groups

The residents of NES are able to iden fy and dis nguish the diﬀerent armed groups in the area

based on their uniforms and logos.

229

A Syrian university professor stated that the SDF,

including the YPG and YPJ, typically wear uniforms with a camouﬂage print, while the Asayish

and HXP uniforms are dark green and khaki-coloured, respec vely.

230

Members of the RYM

o en wear tradi onal Kurdish clothing similar to that of the PKK, which helps locals iden fy

them, even though they are not a military force.

231

However, according to one source, as

members of RYM do not carry weapons or wear speciﬁc uniforms, it is not always easy to

iden fy them. Their presence is nevertheless no ceable during large ac vi es such as protests

and demonstra ons.

232

Ini ally, when these groups were established in the beginning of the Syrian conﬂict, it might

have been confusing for local people of NES, par cularly in areas with a predominantly Arab

popula on to dis nguish these groups from each other. However, over the years, people have

learned to recognise them, facilitated by the fact that their logos are in both Arabic and

Kurdish.

233

Syrian university professor: 20; DAANES representa on KRI:25; Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 25; Wladimir van

Wilgenburg: 27

230

Syrian university professor: 20

231

Syrian university professor: 20

232

Seyredin Yusuf (journalist): 26

233

Wladimir van Wilgenburg: 27,28

229

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the-revolu onary-youth-in-ne-syria/,

accessed 14 June 2024

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United Kingdom, Home Oﬃce,

Proscribed terrorist groups or organisa ons,

n.d.,

h ps://www.gov.uk/government/publica ons/proscribed-terror-groups-or-organisa ons--

2/proscribed-terrorist-groups-or-organisa ons-accessible-version,

accessed 14 June 2024

United Na ons Security Council (UNSC),

Children and armed conﬂict in the Syrian Arab Republic

– Report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/805),

27 October 2023,

h ps://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/children-and-armed-conﬂict-syrian-arab-

republic-report-secretary-general-s2023805-enarruzh,

accessed 14 June 2024

United Na ons, Oﬃce of the Special Representa ve of the Secretary-General for Children and

Armed Conﬂict, Interna onal law,

h ps://childrenandarmedconﬂict.un.org/virtual-

library/interna onal-law/,

accessed 14 June 2024

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January 2024,

h ps://www.un.org/geospa al/content/syrian-arab-republic-approximate-areas-

inﬂuence-december-2023,

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h ps://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organiza ons/,

accessed 14 June 2024

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Annex 1: Meeting minutes

WhatsApp mee ng with Ciwan Isso, lawyer based in Syria, 2 May

2024

The Social Contract of the DAANES

1. The Law of Defence is one of the main provisions of this framework, and stipulates that

men above the age of 18, who are from NES, are obliged to serve the Self-Defence

Duty in the Self-Defence Forces (HXP). The law is also applicable to young men from

other parts of Syria, who have resided in NES for a period of three years. Previously,

persons originating from outside NES, who had resided in NES for five years, were

obligated to do the Self-Defence Duty, but this period has been reduced from five to

three years, according to the new amendment of the Self-Defence Duty law.

2. Young men in the HXP serve for one year.

3. The Social Contract was accepted on regional and cantonal level including Self-Defence

Law by an administrative body called the People’s Council, and was therefore accepted

by all regions in NES. The Law of Self-Defence was therefore technically accepted by all

regions. According to the law, the mandatory Self-Defence Duty should be

implemented in all the regions.

Issuance of Syrian documents in NES

4. GoS maintains service offices in the security squares in Hasakah and Qamishli.

Evasion and deser on from the Self-Defence Duty

5. From a legal point of view, evasion or desertion from the Self-Defence Duty does not

have consequences for the evader’s or deserter’s family, as the evaders and deserters

are above 18 years old and not under age. The administration is therefore only able to

deal with the individual directly.

6. Draft evaders cannot travel from one city to another, as they would risk being detained

at checkpoints. In some areas employment in both the public and the private sector is

contingent upon completion of Self-Defence Duty.

7. When caught, draft evaders are sent to do their service, and are not punished for

evasion.

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8. In desertion cases, the authorities will conduct an investigation regarding the individual

in question, and his motives for desertion. The source is unaware of the outcome and

possible consequences/punishment related to this type of investigation.

9. For draft evaders, the duration of their service starts from the day that they are

detained, and in these cases it is likely that the service will be extended for a month or

two.

Telephone mee ng with Child Protec on Oﬃce, Jazira region of

NES, 16 May 2024

Child protec on oﬃce

1. There are currently six functioning child protection offices in the regions under the

control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES). These

offices are located in Al-Tabaqa, Kobane, Al-Jazira, Raqqa, Deir Ezzour and Manbij.

Previously there were more offices, but due to a decrease in the complaints regarding

the recruitment of minors, some of these offices have been closed.

2. The child protection office handles only cases related to recruitment of minors into the

SDF. Recruitment of minors into other groups, such as the Revolutionary Youth

Movement (RYM), falls outside the office’s mandate.

Complaints regarding recruitment of minors

3. There have previously been around 100 cases per year regarding the recruitment of

minors to the SDF. Last year, there were around 50 cases. Complaints regarding

recruitment are usually submitted by the parents of the minors in question, but the

SDF does also initiate investigations regarding age determination of potential minors

attempting to enlist with the SDF.

4. The number of filed complaints is highest in the Jazira region.

5. All complaints submitted by parents regarding the recruitment of minors to the SDF

are forwarded electronically and on paper to the SDF by the child protection offices. In

the case of the office in the Jazira region, the complaints are forwarded to the SDF

office in the Jazira region.

6. The processing time of cases regarding recruitment of minors is between 15 – 30 days,

which is primarily due to the amount of internal movement by people in the region

making communication with them difficult, as well as lacking documentation regarding

the minor’s age or the submission of fraudulent documents, which are used by the

minor for age manipulation in order to be able to enlist in the SDF.

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7. The SDF has procedures in place to determine whether a person attempting to enlist

with them is 18 or under. Out of the 50 cases reported to the Jazira child protection

office last year, around 40 were resolved with the discharge of the minors in question

from the SDF.

8. There is a gender difference with regard to the age of minors attempting to enlist in

the SDF. Females generally seek to enlist between 11 and 12, whereas males typically

attempt to enlist between the ages of 16 and 17.

9. Females in this age bracket are immediately refused enlistment as it is often possible

discern their minor status

from their physical appearance.

10. In most cases involving the recruitment of minors, the individuals in question attempt

to enlist with the SDF due to financial incentives or familial domestic problems. No

cases of forced recruitment of minors to the SDF has been reported to the office thus

far.

Mee ng with a Syrian university professor, Erbil, 28 April 2024

The source is a Syrian Kurdish university professor and lecturer in poli cs and philosophy at a

university in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The source is the author of several books and ar cles

about Kurds in Syria. He is used as an expert by a number of interna onal media on the poli cal

and military situa on in the North and East Syria.

Implementa on of Mandatory Self-Defence Duty law

1. The mandatory Self-Defence Duty law and regulations, including the exemption rules

(e.g. for medical reasons, being the only son etc.) are being implemented and observed

by the DAANES authorities.

2. However, in the areas such as Deir-Ezzor and Raqqa with a majority Arab population, it

is still difficult for the DAANES authorities to enforce the Self-Defence Duty as the local

population resists the enforcement of the law. Due to the complexity of the conflict in

those areas with involvement of different actors, e.g. Iran, the GoS, the SDF etc., the

DAANES is very careful not to push too hard for implementation of the law.

3. There are still young people who flee NES in order to avoid the Self-Defence Duty.

However, the number has decreased due to increasingly restricted access to

neighbouring countries, such as the recent entry restrictions imposed by the KRG.

4. The source emphasized that avoiding the Self-Defence Duty or recruitment to other

groups is not the main reason why people leave the area. It is rather the unstable and

volatile security situation in NES that makes people feel insecure in their daily lives.

Another factor behind people’s departure from the area is the intensive Turkish

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airstrikes, which according to some estimates have destroyed around 70% of the area’s

infrastructure (energy, water etc.), significantly impacting the economic life in NES.

Given this situation, there is little hope for economic prosperity in the near future,

prompting many people to leave or want their children to leave the area to seek better

conditions and opportunities (work, education etc.) in other countries.

5. The source has not heard of cases of discrimination by the authorities against Self-

Defence Duty conscripts from other ethnic groups, e.g. Arabs, during the service. The

source does not rule out the possibly that an individual officer can behave in a

discriminatory manner, but the source has not heard of such cases.

6. The source has not heard of cases of family members of evaders or deserters from the

Self-Defence Duty being subjected to harassment or any other violations due to the

evasion or desertion of their family member.

7. The HXP is an auxiliary force that supports the SDF, which is a professional military

force. The HXP’s main duty is to guard and protect public buildings, infrastructure and

other facilities, and they are thus not involved in active combat. However if they are in

a location which is exposed to attack, they risk becoming involved in the fighting and

even losing their lives. For instance, when the ISIS attacked the Hasakah prison in 2022,

a number of HXP conscripts who were guarding the prison were killed. Due to the

increasingly unstable security situation in NES, HXP soldiers now risk facing such

situations to a larger extent than before.

8. The source has not heard of the Self-Defence Duty period being extended, except in

cases of extraordinary security situations in an area.

Recruitment to the SDF

9. Recruitment to the SDF takes place on a voluntary basis. High salaries compared to the

average local income as well as the relatively high popularity of these forces among the

local population are some of the main incentives for people to join them voluntarily.

10. Even the Arab population of NES voluntarily joins the SDF. In addition to economic

incentives, this is due to the fact that the area’s Arab population tend to join and

support the dominating group in their area, who can provide them protection. Since

the SDF is currently the dominant force in the area, they prefer to join the SDF rather

than other groups. Presently, sixty percent of the SDF is comprised of Arabs.

Recruitment of minors by the RYM

11. Regarding recruitment of minors to different groups, the situation has been worsening

particularly when it comes to recruitment to Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM).

Within the last two years, the RYM has intensified its activities with regard to

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encouraging young people to join them. This happens through political arrangements

as well as cultural activities such as holding language and music classes.

12. Minors are not recruited by force, i.e. by being grabbed on the street and taken by

force to a training center or a military base. Instead, the RYM takes advantage of the

economic, social and cultural problems faced by young people from poor and

underprivileged social groups, encouraging them to join the RYM and follow its

ideology as an alternative to these problems.

13. The intensified propaganda activities of the RYM as well as the worsening socio-

economic and security situation in NES have resulted in more young people joining the

RYM in the area.

14. The RYM is widely unpopular among the population of NES, and people are unhappy

with their activities. Even the DAANES authorities have expressed discontent with the

group and its activities. However, due to fractions within the DAANES authorities who

are under the influence of the PKK, there have so far not been any firm action taken by

the authorities against the RYM’s activities, and the group remains beyond DAANES’s

control. The source believes that the RYM is directed and controlled by the PKK.

Through the RYM’s activities, the PKK tries to encourage as many young people as

possible to join them.

15. The RYM is not a military organization and does not provide military training. They

mainly try to influence the youth ideologically through cultural activities and political

indoctrination. However, due to the ideological influence, some minors end up in

military training camps in the Qandil or Sinjar mountains. The source mentioned the

case of a member of his extended family whose son was influenced and recruited by

the RYM, and his family later received a message from the DAANES authorities that

their son was arrested in Turkey by the Turkish authorities, allegedly for conducting

activities on behalf of the PKK.

16. Those who lead the RYM activities and encourage minors to join the group are usually

18 and above, and those who comprise the target group for the organisation’s

activities are from around 13 and above.

17. The RYM members have a certain militant appearance and way of behaving, and even

the language used by the group is characterized by a certain militant terminology and

jargon, which is specific to the group. They listen to nationalist Kurdish songs, have a

certain clothing style and have a special way of walking and behaving in public.

18. The young generation’s proneness to join groups like the RYM or military forces such

as the PKK and the SDF should be understood in the context of their upbringing during

the Syrian conflict. For these individuals, violence has become a familiar language and

way of thinking due to their experiences growing up amidst conflict. A person, who was

a five years old child when the conflict started in 2011, is now 18, having known little

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else besides conflict, extremism, and the constant risk of violations. This situation is

not limited to NES, but extends to all of Syria. There are now a great number of

children in Syria without proper education, making them an easy target for militant

groups who prefer these children to join them rather than getting an education.

Recruitment to the PKK

19. The PKK does not recruit members in NES by using force. They use indirect methods

such as luring and encouraging young people though the political and cultural activities

of the RYM.

The local knowledge about diﬀerent groups

20. From the appearance, the local people of NES can recognize and see the difference

between different groups in the area, e.g. the SDF, the YPG, the YPJ, the HXP, the

Assayish etc. For instance the SDF (including YPG and YPJ) have a camouflage uniform

(originally marine corps print), the special anti-terror forces within the SDF have a

darker uniform, the Assayish have a dark green uniform and the HXP’s uniform has a

khaki colour. Members of the RYM do not wear a uniform as they are not a military

force, however they tend to wear a PKK-style traditional Kurdish clothing by which

people can see that they belong to the RYM.

Mee ng with the representa on of the DAANES in Suleimaniyah,

29. April 2024

Implementa on of Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

1. The Self-Defence Duty is applicable by law in all regions under DAANES control. The

duration of the Self-Defence Duty is one year. However, the duration of service can be

extended in emergency situations.

2. The main reason for this service is to train the young men of the region, so that they

can defend the region.

3. The Self-Defence Duty is compulsory for men between the ages of 18 – 24. Women are

able to serve on a voluntary basis.

4. The Self-Defence Duty is compulsory for men of the conscription age, who are born in

NES, and persons from other areas of Syria, who have resided in NES for more than five

years.

5. Calling up for the Self-Defence Duty is announced on television and through the

DAANES’ social media platforms. If the summoned person does not respond, a letter

will be sent to his home address.

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Legal Framework

6. There have been no changes to the Self-Defence Duty law since the amendment in

2021.

7. The DAANES Social Contract was signed in Deir Ezzour around in December 2023.

Article 30 of the Social Contract states that Self-Defence is a duty for individuals and

groups living in DAANES-controlled areas, which enables the DAANES to expand

recruitment to territories with an Arab majority. The draft takes place in seven cantons

now, where previously it was only in three. However, the ethnic background is still

taken into consideration in practice in connection with the implementation for the

Self-Defence Duty.

Length of Service

8. The duration of service is usually one year. However, in emergency situations the

service can be extended, and the reserves can also be called up to serve. During the

battles of Kobane and Afrin, the length of service was extended and a number of

reserves were called up. There have been no recent cases where the duration of

service has been extended.

9. Men who complete their Self-Defence Duty are able to voluntarily by re-enlist for a

period of two years as professional soldiers in

the Filaq

(optional corps). They receive

promotions in rank and a higher salary compared to the Self-Defence Forces.

10. The decision to enact a general extension of the Self-Defence Duty in emergency

situations is taken by the regional leadership of the Self-administration.

Du es of the Self-Defence Forces (HXP)

11. The main duty of conscripts serving in the HXP is guarding certain buildings and areas

of their region or home city. Only a minority of conscripts are transferred to areas

outside of their home area.

12. Although guarding is the main duty of the HXP, there have been cases where units

within the HXP have been embedded with other military units under the Syrian

Democratic Forces (SDF), and have taken part in active combat. However, such

instances are rare and even then, the HXP conscripts are generally not used on the

front lines. Last time, the HXP was used in such cases was in the battle for Afrin against

the Turkish and Turkish-allied groups (January–March 2018). In this battle, they were

supervised by the SDF.

Exemp ons and amnes es

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13. Men who have served with the Asayish for five years or more are exempt from the

Self-Defence Duty, as are men who have completed their contract of service with SDF.

The family members of martyrs are also granted an exemption and it is also possible to

obtain a medical exemption.

14. Medical exemptions are granted for physical conditions that inhibit the person in

question from serving the Self-Defence Duty and for mental conditions.

15. Men in the relevant age group who have left Syria, but return after the exceeding the

maximum age of service are generally granted an amnesty, however they may be fined

an amount ranging from 300 to 400 USD.

Dra evasion

16. The DAANES does not actively seek out draft evaders by contacting family or

conducting house search. The names of draft evaders are publicized and circulated to

checkpoints. If they are apprehended at a checkpoint, they will be detained in order to

complete their Self-Defence Duty. There are no further consequences for draft evasion.

Documenta on

17. Completion, discharge and exemption are registered in the Self-Defence Duty booklet,

which documents the person’s status regarding the Self-Defence Duty. The booklet is

issued by the DAANES Ministry of Defence and stamped by the DAANES Ministry of

Interior.

18. The military booklet have not been subject to any change recently.

Recruitment to SDF

19. Recruitment to SDF continues to take place on a voluntary basis, and people know

where to go if they want to enlist with the SDF. It is therefore not necessary to

advertise recruitment to the SDF through social media.

20. Recruitment to the SDF is based on a contract between the person in question and the

SDF. The standard contract has a duration of two years. After two years of service, the

person is discharged from service and free to go. However, persons who do not

perform at least two years of service in the SDF before leaving, will be required to

perform the Self-Defence Duty.

21. SDF regulations prohibit persons under the age of 18 from enlisting. However, there

have been a few cases, where minors have attempted to join. In some cases minors

have unsuccessfully attempted to join SDF more than three times.

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22. Minors attempting to enlist with the SDF are primarily motivated by emotional or

nationalist motives. For example in cases, where they have lost a family member.

23. The SDF conducts an identity verification in connection with recruitment as well as a

background check through Komeen. People who apply to join SDF have to present their

national ID-card, family documents and a Shahadet al-Tariff/Nasnameh issued by the

local Komeen.

24. If a person attempting to join the SDF turns out to be a minor, the SDF fill not let the

person to join. Likewise, when a minor is found in the SDF ranks, the SDF will not let

the person continue serving in the SDF. In such cases, if the person insists on serving in

the force, the SDF will sometimes refer him or her to a civilian activity in other parts of

the DAANES such as a cultural center.

Local Knowledge about diﬀerent groups

25. Locals are easily able to distinguish between different groups. For instance, they can

recognise the HXP from groups under the SDF. Different military groups have different

uniforms, armbands and different logos, and the community has extensive knowledge

about these different groups.

Security squares

26. The security squares in Hasakah and Qamishli are called security squares because of

the enclaves, which are shaped as squares by the streets surrounding them.

Recruitment to the SAA

27. Persons wanted for military service or individual with outstanding security issues are

not actively searched for and apprehended on the streets in the security squares.

However, these people can be apprehended if they go to one of the GoS-offices and a

security check is conducted. Persons arrested by the GoS can be transferred to GoS-

territory by military airplanes from Qamishli airport.

28. The DAANES does not intervene in cases where criminals are apprehended by the GoS.

However, the DAANES will intervene on behalf of the person in question if they have a

relation to the Self-administration.

WhatsApp mee ng with a Syrian Kurdish expert based in Europe,

30. April 2024

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The source works with Syria’s humanitarian and stabiliza on programming for years and visits

NES frequently.

Implementa on of Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

1. Theoretically, the law regulating the Mandatory Self-Defence Duty is applicable in all

regions of NES. However, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria

(DAANES) is careful regarding implementation of the Self-Defence Duty in the areas

with a majority of Arab population, namely in Raqqa, Manbij and Deir Ezzour regions.

The reason for that is that the DAANES does not want to create discontent in these

areas given the historical tension between Kurds and Arabs in NES, the current fragile

security situation, and some Arab communities’ resistance to the Self-Defence Duty in

these areas.

2. Ideally, the law is to be enforced uniformly upon all residents, regardless of their

backgrounds. However, in practice, it is not enforced upon Christians in the same

manner as others. Due to the significant decline in the Christian population in the

region caused by the conflict, the DAANES is cautious not to add more reasons for the

remaining Christians to leave. Christian youth typically do not participate in the Self-

Defence Duty but instead join their Christian police force, Sutoro, for three years,

which exempts them from the Self-Defence Duty due to their membership. The Sutoro

police, which is part of the Internal Security Forces, primarily operate within Christian

communities to maintain security, addressing conflict-sensitivity concerns.

3. Until 2020 – 2021 regulating the Self-Defence Duty was not applicable to persons, who

were not born in NES. After 2021, a provision was added to the law that technically

enabling the DAANES to draft people from outside NES for Self-Defence Duty.

According to this provision, people originating from other areas in Syria, who had lived

in NES for more than five years, were obligated to do the Self-Defence Duty. However,

this provision is not strictly implemented.

4. The age range currently regulated by the law is men born in 1998 and above. The

current age range has been implemented for around two years, and the age range has

been decreased due to pressure from NGOs and civil society actors. There are new

demands to further decrease the eligible age to those born in 1999 or 2000, and it is

likely to be adjusted in the medium term

5. The Self-Defence Duty is compulsory and currently has a duration of 12 months. The

duration of service has previously been six months when this law first started in NES in

2015 and 2016, and then it was extended to nine months after one or two years.

Recruitment of Women to the Self-Defence Forces

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6. The Self-Defence Duty is only mandatory for men. Women can serve on a voluntary

basis, and the source has not heard of any cases of women being forcefully recruited

for the Self-Defence Duty.

Self-Defence Duty exemp ons and deferrals

7. It is possible to delay the Self-Defence Duty on the basis of studies, or if there is a

member of the family already serving in the Self-Defence Forces (HXP).

8. Family members of martyrs and single sons are exempt from the Self-Defence Duty.

Former members of the Asayish or the SDF are also exempt from service if they have

served with either the Asayish or SDF for a period of at least two years in the period

from 2012 - 2015. Those, who currently serve in the Asayish (ISF) or the SDF for three-

five years, will also be exempted.

9. For being exempt from the Self-Defence Duty, the individual must provide

documentation for the individual circumstances regarding exemption.

10. Young men with residence permits abroad can delay their Self-Defence Duty. They pay

200 USD upon their visit to NES for delaying their duty. This does not apply to Syrians

from NES residing in Lebanon or Iraq.

11. The provisions regarding exemption and delay related to the Self-Defence Duty are

being respected by the DAANES.

Recruitment of minors to the Self-Defence Forces

12. The source has not heard of any cases of recruitment of minors to the HXP.

However,

instances of voluntary recruitment of minors to the SDF have been reported.

Process of recruitment to the HXP

13. When a young man turns 18, he is expected to go to a recruitment center to be issued

a military booklet, which is then filled in. He must then perform his Self-Defence Duty

unless he can document reasons for delay or exemption from the duty.

14. The Defence Department of the DAANES publicly announces the age range for Self-

Defence Duty through online platforms. The recruitment centres announce the

relevant age groups through assemblies in different city district and publish statements

to this effect on their online platforms and TV. While there were previously regional

differences in the recruitment process, these procedures have now been standardized.

15. The DAANES does not send letters to the individual conscript to call him up for Self-

Defence Duty.

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16. There are consistent demands to further decrease the eligible age as more individuals

turn 18 each year. For instance, there are calls to exempt those born in 1998 or 1999.

NGOs advocate for these changes, and these demands are also reflected in comments

and widespread hashtags on official DAANES social media posts, for example on

Facebook.

Extension of service

17. The law permits extensions of the Self-Defence Duty in emergency situations. This

happened in October 2019 because of the fighting in Tell Abyad upon Turkish

incursion, where the Self-Defence Duty was extended for two-three months for some

conscripts serving in the HXP.

18. In April and May 2022, a general emergency was declared by the DAANES due to

military threats from Turkey, followed by an extension of the Self-Defence Duty for a

month or more. This general emergency is enforced to this date. Additionally, errors

can occur, resulting in an extra month of service for individuals fulfilling their Self-

Defence Duty. The source has not heard of or seen extensions for more than three

months.

19. As far as the source is aware, there have not been any cases of people being called up

for reserve duty in the HXP after they have been discharged.

Prevalence of discrimina on in the HXP

20. There are no indication suggesting that systemic discrimination of conscripts based on

their ethnicity takes place during the service in the HXP, however individual cases could

happen rarely.

21. Discrimination does not take place in the Self-Defence Forces, as DAANES does not

want to create tension between the ethnic groups. Sixty percent of the NES population

are Arabs. In some cases, Kurds perceive the DAANES authorities being more flexible

with Arab communities in order to win their support. The source emphasizes that NES

is a multi-ethnic and religiously diverse region characterized by complexities, ongoing

conflict and uncertainty. Consequently, governing this region requires careful

consideration of the treatment of minorities.

22. Hasakah and Qamishli have large Arab populations, and you therefore see lots of Arabs

in the mandatory military service as well.

Consequences of dra evasion and deser on

23. There are young people who attempt to avoid the Self-Defence Duty by delaying it as

long as possible. When this is no longer possible, they will then try to avoid the service

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by not travelling in the region, as they would be identified and taken to the service at

checkpoints.

24. Evaders are given the opportunity to serve the due length of duty, i.e. one year, when

caught without punishment. Deserters generally leave the region, as their desertion

might have consequences, but these consequences are not clear. From time to time,

an amnesty is being issued for those evaders and deserters, if they return to their duty.

The last amnesty was issued in early May 2024.

25. When the security situation in NES is stable, young people want to serve the Self-

Defence Duty in order to get it over and done with, but when there is continued

external security threats in NES, as it is the case currently, people attempt to avoid the

service. Unlike the SDF, the HXP is generally not an active combat force. Instead, they

are mostly used to secure borders, or stationed in and assigned to protect

communities and areas newly captured by the SDF.

26. A person eligible for the Self-Defence Duty may be able to avoid the service for three

to four years by avoiding checkpoints and contact with the DAANES authorities, but at

some point, the person will have to travel. It is possible to avoid the Self-Defence Duty

for a longer period of time in the Arab-dominated areas since the DAANES authorities,

as mentioned earlier, are careful not to raise tension in these areas.

Prevalence of forged documents

27. Obtaining forged or counterfeit documents in NES is not easy, but not impossible. It is

easier to obtain forged or counterfeit documents in areas under GoS control. Bribery

and corruption is more prevalent in GoS-controlled areas.

28. Both forged documents and genuine documents issued using incorrect information are

available. Young men use forged university education documents to delay their Self-

Defence Duty.

Recruitment to the SDF

29. Recruitment to the SDF is fully voluntary, but the recruitment process has changed

over time and differs from region to region depending on whether the majority of

population are Arab or Kurds. With the lack of job opportunities, the relatively high

salaries paid by the SDF is one of the main reasons why people join them.

30. In addition to the economic incentive, Kurds join the SDF to defend their region. The

same applies to people from the predominantly Arab areas, such as Deir Ezzour, who

join the SDF to protect their areas, which were liberated from the ISIS, and still needs

protection against possible attacks by the ISIS as well as GoS-Iran linked militias.

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Recruitment of minors to the SDF

31. In the past few years, minors in the age range 15 – 17 have continued joining the SDF.

One of the main motives underlying recruitment of minors to the SDF is the issues,

which these minors are facing in their families, e.g. poor socio-economic conditions,

violence in their households etc. As a solution to these problems, but also due to the

relatively high salaries paid by the SDF with which they can support their families,

these are the main motives for minors to join the SDF.

32. The recruitment of minors was previously a challenge to the DAANES and the SDF, but

there are now mechanisms in place to prevent or minimize such recruitments. The SDF

has established the so-called “Child Protection Office” dedicated to returning minors to

their families, which have successfully returned a number of minors to their families.

The Revolu onary Youth Movement (RYM)

33. The RYM was a youth movement within the PYD in NES to start with, which now has an

increased presence in the region, and calls itself the Revolutionary Youth of Syria. This

group serves as an introduction for young people to the SDF and other military entities

in the region.

34. The RYM does promotional and motivational activities, which target young people who

are influenced by the group’s ideology. The group does not recruit by force, but rather

encourages young people to join them through their motivational activities.

35. The source mentioned the case of his 15-year-old cousin, who was motivated and

encouraged by the RYM to join the YPJ. The family wanted her back, but she refused.

However, after a period of time, she returned to the family, but expressed a continued

interest in pursuing the group's ideology. Ultimately, the family persuaded her to

postpone her involvement with the group until she turned 18. This scenario illustrates

the typical operation of the RYM.

36. For the last two or three decades, affiliation with the PKK has had an impact on the

political and social life in NES. However, the organizational affiliations of the different

groups remain unclear, including the RYM’s relationship to the PKK.

WhatsApp mee ng with a previous Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

conscript residing in Malikiyah (Derek), Syria, 1 May 2024

The source is a 22 years old previous Self-Defence Duty conscript, who was discharged from the

service in October 2023. He is from the city of Malikiya (Derek) and s ll lives there. He

conducted his duty in the city of Hasskah.

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1. The source stayed in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq until he turned 18. When he was 18,

he returned to NES. On his way back to NES, the authorities at the border informed

him that he should report for the Self-Defence Duty. Upon return, he started working

at the Center for Culture and Art in the city of Hasakah in order to delay his Self-

Defence Duty. After two years, he could not delay his service further and he reported

for the service. The source did not want to evade the service as he wanted to stay in

NES and freely move around without being stopped at checkpoints, due to not having

served his duty.

2. Calling up for Self-Defence Duty takes place collectively where the authorities once or

twice a year announce through media and social media that people born in a certain

year and month and there above should report for the service. However, young men in

NES usually know in advance and expect that they will be called up for duty after they

turn 18, and it will not come as a surprise when they are called up.

3. Upon reporting for the service, the source was referred to a military training center in

Hasakah, as there was no training center in Derek.

4. The group of conscripts, who started the basic training together with the source,

consisted of about 200 persons. The age range of the group was between 18 and 28.

There were no women in the group.

Training

5. The training period consisted of basic theoretical and practical military training. In the

theoretical part of the training, conscripts were taught about the general history and

culture of NES and ethics, and they learned about military topics in theory, including

military terms and basic knowledge about weapons etc.

6. The practical part of the training comprised much physical training as well as training in

how to handle weapon such as AK and PKM.

7. A typical training day at the training center started at 5:00 AM with physical training

followed by a group breakfast. Then there was military training. In the afternoon, there

were classes about theoretical topics, and in the evening, there was the second part of

the military training. During the training period, conscripts were not assigned guard

duty, as they were new and had to be trained first before being assigned to such

duties.

8. The group, which the source went through the training together with, consisted of

about 200 conscripts from all over NES with different educational and ethnic

background, for instance Kurds, Arabs etc.

9. Despite the fact that the instructors sometimes had a strict attitude towards the

conscripts, the source did not experience during his training that conscripts were

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subjected to discriminatory or inhuman treatment by the instructors due to for

instance their ethnic background or because of previously having evaded the service.

10. No leave was allowed during the training period. Upon completing the training,

conscripts were given 8-10 days leave. After this leave, conscripts went back to the

training center where they were assigned to different tasks. When conscripts started

doing the tasks they were assigned to, there were one free day after every 10 days of

service.

11. After about two months training in a military training center in Hasakah, conscripts

were assigned to different duties based on their educational and professional

background and skills. Those with stronger educational backgrounds and skills were

assigned to duties in offices or institutions, which could benefit from their skills. The

source, who had music skills and had worked in Center for Culture and Art in Hasakah,

was assigned to work as music instructor at the at that cultural center in Hasakah,

where he taught young people to play string music instruments. The source continued

as music instructor for the remainder of his service period. There were also other

conscripts, who were assigned to do their service at the cultural center in Hasakah, for

instance some did office work whilst others recorded the activities of the center.

12. The source did not wear the HXP uniform or carry arms during his service at the

cultural center, and his instructional work was conducted within the working hours of

the cultural center. The head of the cultural center reported to the HXP commander

responsible for the source’s duty about the source’s activities in the culturel center.

13. Conscripts with low educational background or no skills were assigned to guard and

protection duties, for instance guarding public buildings.

14. None of the 200 conscripts, who went through the training together with the source,

were assigned to combat duties.

Du es during the service

Length of the duty

15. The length of Self-Defence Duty is one year. However, the source had to serve two

more months, as the military recruitment office needed more time to recruit new

conscripts to the service. It was not only the source, but the whole group of conscripts

who had started their service together with him, whose service was extended with two

months. Such extension of service, which is called

Ehtefaz

(meaning “keeping” in

Arabic) happens occasionally in the HXP depending on the situation.

16. There is no reserve duty (Ehtiat) in the Self-Defence Duty in NES, and those who are

discharged, will not be called up again.

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Documenta on of the service

17. On the first day after completing his service, the source was issued a small ID card

called

Bara’at al-zamma,

which contains the name of the source, his picture, dates of

his service and the signature and stamp of the military authority. This card documents

that the holder has completed his Self-Defence Duty, and he can use the card when

passing checkpoints. Six months after completing his service, the source has not

obtained his military booklet yet. This is, according to the source, due to the large

number of conscripts, who are to be issued their Self-Defence Duty booklets.

Evasion and deser on

18. When an evader is identified and caught at a checkpoint, he will be held at gathering

places pertaining to the HXP. While being at these gathering points, the family of the

person will be informed about him being caught and sent to the service. Conscripts will

shortly after be sent to the service from these gathering places.

19. The source has not heard of any cases of persons being subjected to violence or other

kinds of mistreatment when they are caught at checkpoints.

20. The source has not heard of any cases of family members of evaders and deserters

being subjected to harassment or other kind of violations due to their family members’

evasion or desertion.

21. There were very few among the 200 conscripts that the source was trained together

with, who had evaded the service before joining the HXP for service. The source did

not know of any cases among these evaders, where the service was extended due to

the evasion.

22. In general, life is difficult if a person has not conducted his Self-duty duty. Most of the

young men, who evade the Self-Defence Duty, do not want to stay in the region. They

try to avoid checkpoints and stay in the area waiting for an opportunity to flee the area

and go to other countries.

23. The source has seen evaders who have lived in the area for some years by avoiding the

checkpoints and contact with the authorities. The source knows an evader, who have

now stayed in NES for three years.

24. It is the source’s perception that evasion from the Self-Defence Duty is often based on

a fear for being assigned to combat duties. However, according to the source, this is a

misunderstanding, as the HXP is an auxiliary force, which his not used in combat.

Local people’s knowledge about diﬀerent groups

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25. In general, people are accustomed to and can recognise different groups in the area

based on their appearance and uniforms, i.e. who is from SDF, HXP, Assayish, etc.

WhatsApp mee ng with the Syrian Network for Human Rights

(SNHR), 2 May 2024

SNHR is a human rights organiza on established in 2011. It documents human rights viola ons

in all parts of Syria. Regarding NES, SNHR documents, among other issues, the recruitment of

minors.

Recruitment of minors

1. According to the reports received by SNHR, recruitment of minors in NES is common.

Recruitment into the military groups within the SDF (e.g., YPG, YPJ) is facilitated by the

Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM), with some of the minors recruited by the RYM

ending up in the ranks of the SDF. There have also been cases of minors being sent to

the PKK training camps in the KRI.

2. The families of recruited minors are the main source of information about their

recruitment, and it is often the parents who contact SNHR, for instance by email, to

report the recruitment of their child. The reports received are verified by SNHR’s

monitoring and documentation section, as well as by SNHR’s field activists. SNHR

strives to reach out to the immediate family members of the recruited minor to obtain

information about the recruitment in question. If this is not possible, the extended

family (i.e., second or third-degree relatives) of the minor will be.

3. In conflict situations, when there are clashes between the SDF and the Turkish forces in

some areas, the recruitment of minors tends to increase.

4. The child protection offices, which were established by the DAANES in 2020, remain

operational. However, these offices lack the necessary authority and capacity to locate

and release recruited minors. For example, they do not appear to possess the authority

to counteract the recruitment activities of the RYM or to secure the release of minors

recruited by this group.

5. Since the beginning of 2023, SNHR has not recorded any instances of the SDF releasing

recruited minors through its child protection offices.

6. The RYM recruits minors by luring them with promises of a better life and protection,

as well as through political indoctrination via cultural and political activities such as

music and language classes or political demonstrations. However, there are also

reports of minors being forcibly recruited by the RYM, including instances of

kidnapping minors when they leave their schools or homes. Recruitment by force often

takes place in areas where the SDF shares control with other forces, such as in Hasakah

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and Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood in Aleppo, where the GoS is present and controls

part of the area. In areas entirely under the control of the SDF, the RYM usually strives

to recruit minors voluntarily through promoting and encouraging activities.

7. Since the very first months of its emergence, the SDF has recruited minors, with the scale

of such recruitments increasing as the SDF has consolidated its security and military

control over its territories in NES. Minors have been recruited both voluntarily and

forcefully. Additionally, the SNHR has documented numerous cases in which schools

affiliated with the DAANES have been involved in supporting recruitment of minors.

8. The SNHR considers all kinds of recruitment of minors as forced recruitment, even if a

minor joins a particular group of their own will. Since a minor is legally under the

custody of their parents, recruitment by a group without the parents’ consent is

considered a violation of the parents’ custody.

9. The general public in NES are discontent with the activities of the RYM, and there have

been several demonstrations by parents protesting against their activities. On the

other hand, the RYM does not care about the public opinion about its activities as they

believe that following their ideology is the only way to save the region from its

problems, and they therefore have the right to carry out the activities they do.

10. A number of families who par cipated in demonstra ons against recruitment of minors

have received threats and been assaulted by pro-SDF groups. Addi onally, they have

been warned against par cipa ng in future demonstra ons.

11. At the same time, the DAANES authorities, including the SDF, refrain from interfering in

the RYM’s activities, and they apparently do not have authority or control over the

group. The source believes that the RYM is affiliated with and instructed and controlled

by the PKK.

12. Since its establishment as the People’s Defense Units (YPG) in July 2012 up until June

2024, SNHR has recorded at least 672 cases of minors being recruited by the SDF,

comprising 364 males and 308 females. At least 30 of those minors have been killed in

combat. Additionally, SNHR has recorded release/discharge of 301 minors after being

recruited, while 341 minors, including 212 males and 129 females, remain active with

the SDF.

WhatsApp mee ng with a Syrian Human Rights Organisa on, 22

April 2024

The source has been monitoring and documen ng viola ons (e.g. killings, abduc ons, torture

etc.) against civilians conducted by diﬀerent par es of the Syrian conﬂict since 2011. It has a

well-established network of sources throughout Syria.

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Recruitment to HXP

1. The mandatory Self-Defence Duty in the Self-Defence Forces (HXP) is enforced in all

areas under the control of the Self-administration (DAANES) in North and East Syria

(NES). Kurdish and Arab men between the ages of 18 and 26 are conscripted into the

HXP.

The HXP are auxiliary forces and thus the conscripts in HXP are not used in active

fighting. They are mainly used for guarding checkpoints or public buildings and

headquarters etc. However, there have been incidents where conscripts guarding

checkpoints have been subjected to attacks from and clashed with the Syrian Arab

Army (SAA).

3. HXP does not commit human rights violations against civilians, mainly because HXP

conscripts serve in their local areas. As the areas under DAANES control are tribal, the

conscripts are careful about how they behave in their local areas as there will be

consequences for any misbehaviour.

4. The military groups in NES, e.g. SDF, YPG, YPJ and HXP, have different and unique

uniforms and batches. Citizens of NES can distinguish between these groups by the

uniforms and batches they wear.

5. Citizens of NES tend to refer to all these groups as “SDF” [locally named

qasad

دسق

which is the abbreviation of the Arabic name of the group,

Quwat Suriya al-

Dimoqratiya

ةيطارقميدلا ايروس تاوق

]. This is partly due to the fact that the SDF is an

umbrella military organisation covering different groups such as YPG and YPJ, but also

because it is the most powerful force in the area. Citizens even refer to NES as “SDF

areas”. However, this is merely a lingual reference, and they otherwise distinguish

between different groups.

Recruitment of minors

6. Minors are not recruited into HXP, either forcibly or voluntarily. The source has only

seen cases of minors joining the Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM) on a voluntary

basis although there are cases where the parents of these minors may have mistakenly

believed that their children had been forcibly recruited.

7. Minors join the RYM for various reasons: to run away from home due to family

problems; they are attracted by the idea of being part of an organisation or they need

to earn money to provide economic support for their families.

8. The RYM does not offer minors any military training. Their training activities are limited

to political, cultural (e.g. music and language courses) and practical issues (e.g. sport),

through which they try to influence them mentally and ideologically.

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9. The RYM is affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and despite allegations,

there have so far not been any evidence that it cooperates or have any organisational

relationship with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). However, they are ideologically

linked to PKK as they consider Abdullah Ocalan as an icon.

Recruitment into SDF

10. Recruitment to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is voluntary and men who have

completed their mandatory service in HXP can voluntarily join SDF. The source has not

heard or received information about forced recruitment by the SDF.

11. The source has not heard or received information about recent recruitment of minors

by the SDF. However, parents of minors who join the RYM usually say that their

children joined the SDF even though the RYM is not part of SDF.

Recruitment by the SAA in NES

12. The Syrian authorities recruit for military service in the areas they control in NES.

However, they are cautious about enforcing the military service laws in these areas

due to their limited power and control in these areas.

13. To avoid desertion, men conscripted by the SAA in NES are given the possibility to

serve in their areas of origin. For example, men who are conscripted from villages in

Qamishli that are under the Syrian authorities control serve in the villages they are

from in Qamishli. For this reason, when men reach military age, they tend to enlist for

military service because they know they will be serving in their own areas. If they do

not enlist, the Syrian authorities will not actively seek to recruit them as the Syrian

authorities have limited control in these areas.

14. Both Arabs and Kurds living in NES prefer to serve in HXP rather than serving in the SAA

because mandatory military service in HXP is only for one year, whereas in the SAA

whereas in the SAA the individual risks serving for many more years than the period

stipulated by the law.

15. Many people are fleeing from GoS-controlled areas, particularly Deir Ezzour, to areas

under DAANES control in order to avoid serving in the SAA. They prefer to serve in HXP.

16. The Syrian military law and regulations on exemptions and deferrals are implemented

in the areas controlled by the Syrian authorities in NES.

Leaving and entering NES

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17. There are smuggling routes between all areas controlled by different groups in Syria.

People living in the DAANES-controlled areas or other areas in Syria who want to enter

areas controlled by other groups can be smuggled through these routes and avoid

checkpoints. They can even pass the checkpoints without being caught by bribing the

personnel.

18. Bribery at checkpoints is widespread in all areas of Syria. A person, who lives in the

DAANES-controlled areas and wants to go to Damascus, can pass all checkpoints even

if he is wanted by the Syrian authorities, simply by bribing the personnel at all

checkpoints. Usually, the drivers accompanying the wanted persons know the

personnel at these checkpoints and bribe them in advance. The source is aware of

cases of persons who have managed to travel from NES to Damascus several times

despite being wanted by the Syrian authorities.

Wri en interview with Syrian lawyer, Hossein Naasoo, based in

Germany, 17. April 2024

The source has provided the informa on in consulta on with a number of lawyers inside Syria,

including lawyers within NES to ensure the accuracy of the informa on.

Government of Syria (GoS) presence in NES

1. The areas in NES, which are under the military and administrative control of the

Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAANES) comprise:



Tal Rifaat and the Al-Shahba areas in the Aleppo countryside



the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo



Manbij, Kobani, Raqqa, parts of Deir ez-Zor



Al-Hasakah and Qamishli, with the exception of the security squares controlled

by the GoS.

2. There is difference between different regions of NES, which are under the DAANES

control, with regard to the presence of GoS civil administration. For example, there is

no civil, administrative or security presence of the GoS institutions in Manbij, Raqqa,

Kobani, and parts of Deir ez-Zor, neither GoS civil registry offices, real estate

registration departments nor educational institutions.

3. As for the Aleppo countryside and Aleppo neighborhoods, GoS administration, is

present, for instance GoS-run schools in cities with an Arab majority as well as civil

registry departments.

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Whatsapp-mee ng with Zaki Mohammad Hajji, Human rights

lawyer based in Qamishli, Northeast Syria (NES), 9 April 2024

Government of Syria (GoS) presence in NES

1. The GoS' presence in NES is limited to the so-called security squares (Al-Morabat

Al-

Amniya)

in the cities of Hasakah and Qamishli, where they operate government offices,

including among others civil status offices, recruitment offices and some schools etc, to

serve the residents of NES. The Syrian authorities’ exercise of power and authority in

the security squares is limited to running these offices. The DAANES authorities control

the rest of the territory in NES.

2. When it comes to criminal matters, the Syrian authorities are not in a position to

exercise their authority (i.e. arresting and prosecuting wanted persons) in NES.

Criminal matters are handled by the DAANES, as the Syrian authorities present in the

security squares neither have the capacity nor are allowed by the DAANES authorities

to do it.

3. Unless the person concerned approaches the GoS authorities in the security squares,

the Syrian authorities are unable to arrest persons wanted for military service. The GoS

is able to check a person’s security file at the passport and immigration office in

Hasakah, which enables them to arrest people with outstanding issues who approach

them to make enquiries. The GoS is unable to arrest persons outside this specific

setting in the security squares.

GoS documents issued in NES

4. The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) recruitment offices, which are also present in the security

squares, also issue military booklets related to military service in the SAA as well as

study postponement paper which is issued to students.

Access to NES from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and freedom of

movement

5. Wanted draft evaders from military service with the SAA will be arrested if they

attempt to fly to Damascus from Qamishli. This can happen when the person in

question reaches Damascus, but also at Qamishli airport, which is controlled by the

GoS authorities.

6. People from NES, who have outstanding issues with the Syrian government, will be

arrested if they attempt to enter areas of Syria that are controlled by the GoS, for

instance the Immigration and Pass Department in the security square in Hassakah.

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WhatsApp-mee ng with Mahmoud Omar, lawyer based in

Qamishli, Northeast Syria (NES), 16. April 2024

GoS documents issued in NES

1. The military recruitment units in the security squares in Qamishli and Hasakah, issues

military booklets in connection with military service in the SAA.

Access to NES from Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and freedom of movement

2. In the security squares in Hasakah and Qamishli, arrest of wanted persons only

happens if the individual actively approaches GoS offices present in the area with

access to databases of those with outstanding issues.

Mee ng with Seyredin Yusuf, Syrian Kurdish journalist based in

Erbil, Erbil, 30 April 2024

Implementa on of the Self-Defence Duty Law

1. The Self-Defence Duty Law applies to all areas that falls under the Autonomous

Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), and it is implemented in all areas.

2. Previously, the Self-Defence Duty was primarily implemented in the northern regions

of NES, which are predominantly Kurdish populated. However, after more areas were

liberated from the ISIS and came under the control of the SDF, the law began to be

enforced in these areas too, for instance in Deir Ezzour and Raqqa.

3. According to the law, anyone who is born in NES or has been a resident of NES for 5

years or more is obligated to fulfil the Self-Defence Duty. However, the source is

uncertain whether this requirement is being consistently implemented across all

regions.

4. The specified age range in the law is consistently enforced. Individuals reaching the age

of 18 are regularly called up for service. Twice a year, public announcements are made

on the website and online platforms of the DAANES regarding which age groups are

being called up.

5. The duration of the Self-Defence Duty is one year.

6. The source has not heard of cases, where the length of duty has exceeded one year,

even in emergencies or force majeure situations.

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Postponement

7. Pre-university students have the option to defer their Self-Defence Duty until the age

of 21. Bachelor of Arts students can defer service until the age of 26. For Master of Arts

students, deferment is possible until the age of 28. Ph.D. students can defer service

until the age of 30. The primary reason for deferring military service is education.

8. Another option for deferring conscription is if a family member is already serving their

Self-Defence Duty. In such cases, individuals can postpone their own service until their

family member completes theirs.

Exemp on

9. The first circumstance that can lead to full exemption is when a man is the only son in

his family. Another scenario is if he is the sole surviving member of his family with no

other relatives left. A third avenue for exemption is if a family member of the young

man in question has been martyred while serving with one of the Kurdish military

forces.

10. Additionally, one can be exempted from the Self-Defence Duty if the person has

already served in one of the institutions or forces under the DAANES for at least three

years. This applies to paid contract-based service in any DAANES-approved institution,

such as for example the traffic police.

11. A person can also be exempted if he, due to mental or physical health condition, is

unable to perform his duty.

12. These rules for postponement and exemption from military service are adhered to and

implemented in practice.

Recruitment of women

13. It is clearly stated in the Self-Defence Duty law that the service is solely mandatory for

young men. However, it is possible for women to join the Self-Defence Forces (HXP)

voluntarily. This is observed in practice, and women are not compelled to serve in the

HXP.

Treatment of minori es

14. There have been no reported cases of mistreatment or discrimination against ethnic

minorities, for instance Arabs, during their Self-Defence Duty. The DAANES is

particularly sensitive to this issue and will take immediate action, should any cases of

discrimination occur.

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Evasion from the Self-Defence Duty

15. Evading the Self-Defence Duty will ultimately result in detention and enlistment. The

law is strictly enforced in this regard. Evaders face the risk of being identified and

apprehended at checkpoints, which restricts their ability to leave their hometown.

Upon detection, they will immediately be enlisted to fulfil their duty. Similarly, evaders

who are intercepted at the border while attempting to leave the country will

immediately be drafted. When draft evaders are caught and apprehended at

checkpoints or at the border, their families will subsequently be notified.

16. Young men who do not wish to enlist may seek alternative ways to adhere to the

regulations stipulated by the Self-Defence Duty law. For instance, some opt for serving

in the traffic police for three years to qualify for exemption from their Self-Defence

Duty.

17. The source has not heard of any cases of evasion having negative consequences for

draft evader’s family members, even if the evader in question is detained at a

checkpoint.

Military training during the Self-Defence Duty

18. The Self-Defence Duty commences with a standardized basic training mandatory for all

individuals. Following this phase, conscripts are allocated to various departments

depending on their backgrounds, education and skills. For instance, those with

academic qualifications will most likely be assigned to civilian and administrative tasks

rather than military duties.

19. Conscripts are typically assigned to guarding and protecting duties both in urban and

rural areas. Additionally, some may undergo specialized training in weapon handling.

Recruitment to the SDF

20. The SDF, serving as the primary military defense force in NES, maintains close

coordination with the DAANES’ Defense Department. Recruitment to the SDF takes

place on a voluntary basis and the SDF offers its recruits contracts providing relatively

high financial compensation compared to the local average income. In contrast to

conscripts in the HXP, the SDF members can be characterized as more professional

soldiers.

21. There is no forced recruitment into the SDF for various reasons. One of these is the

SDF's commitment to upholding its image as a professional force. For instance, the SDF

has already engaged in numerous international agreements, which they seek to uphold

in the future. As a result, they have no interest in forceful recruitment practices.

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The Revolu onary Youth Movement (RYM)

22. The RYM is a radical youth group originating from the PYD. The group organize

activities targeting young people of NES. The RYM focuses on winning the hearts and

minds of the youth encouraging them to follow the group and its ideology. Their

activities center around organizing demonstrations and protests, appealing to young

people by portraying themselves as revolutionaries. Due to the militant, provoking and

disrupting nature of the group’s activities and their attempt to lure young people to

join them, the RYM is generally not enjoying popularity among the local population.

23. The RYM was notably more popular in the past, especially in the period after 2011.

However, the more the DAANES institutions have taken root in the NES society, the

more the group has come under pressure to stop its activities as it is not perceived to

be relevant any more. This pressure has however led to the group being even more

radicalized in its goals and activities. For instance, in recent years, they have targeted

opposition parties not aligned with the PYD, resorting to burning down their offices or

assaulting individuals associated with these opposition groups.

24. There have been accusations that the RYM has used physical abduction to forcibly

recruit minors. However, these allegations have neither been confirmed nor refuted.

The group generally tends to use conviction or persuasion tactics more than coercion

or forceful recruitment efforts.

Local knowledge about diﬀerent groups

25. The locals living in NES have a clear understanding of who is who in the region. They

can decipher various groups or actors based on their attire, logos, armbands, uniforms

etc. People are generally capable of distinguishing between different groups.

26. In relation to the RYM, it can be somewhat harder to recognize them in the same way.

This is because they do not carry weapons or wear a specific uniform. While their

presence is unmistakable during large activities such as protests or demonstrations,

they are generally harder to identify compared to other groups.

Skype mee ng with Syrians for Truth and Jus ce (STJ), 16 May 2024

Syrians fror Truth and Jus ce (STJ)

is a non-proﬁt, human rights NGO based in France, which

was established in 2016. It document human rights viola ons commi ed by the diﬀerent par es

to the Syrian conﬂict in Syria and register them in a private database. The researcher from STJ,

who met with the delega on, is from Qamishli and has an extensive knowledge about the

situa on in the NES.

Recruitment of minors by the RYM

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1. Similar to numerous other issues in Syria, the recruitment of minors in the North and

East Syria (NES) is highly politicized. The reported figures of recruited minors in NES are

frequently subject to significant exaggeration or understatement. International

organizations, NGOs and critics of the SDF or the Autonomous Administration of North

and East Syria (DAANES) tend to overstate the numbers. In contrast, proponents of the

SDF and the DAANES often depict the situation in a more favorable light, claiming

either that such recruitment practices do not occur.

2. Recruitment of minors to different groups, inter alia the RYM and different military

groups in the area, still takes place in the NES, and there are dozens of cases each year.

3. The Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM) seeks to attract and persuade minors to

join their ranks through political indoctrination. This indoctrination is facilitated by

various cultural and political activities, including political meetings, Kurdish

nationalistic narratives and songs as well as music, and language courses. TJ has not

documented any instances of minors being kidnapped and forcibly sent to training

camps.

4. Allegations of abductions are frequently reported by media outlets critical of the

DAANES. In some cases, parents, desperate to retrieve their children who have left

home and joined groups against their will, may exaggerate the circumstances of

recruitment. They claim that their children were kidnapped from the streets to draw

media and authorities' attention to their pleas for assistance. The source emphasizes

thought that this does not necessarily mean that the recruitment claimed by the

parents have not taken place.

5. According to Syrian law, recruiting persons under 18 (in Arabic

Naqesi al-ahliya

يصقان

ةيلهﻷا)

by any party of the conflict may amount to “exploitation of minors”. Against this

background, the source concludes that no party can use the ‘consent’ of minors as an

excuse to recruit them, because the law consider them as “ineligible”.

234

6. According to Kurdish media, there are different wings operating in the DAANES area,

and the RYM is unofficially linked to one of these factions, and this is why DAANES

can’t stop them.

7. Recruited minors typically come from families facing socio-economic and domestic

challenges, such as divorced parents, domestic violence, absence of a parent, or

poverty. These circumstances render minors particularly vulnerable to the ideological

propaganda of the RYM, which promises them a better future if they join the RYM.

The source refers to: Waqd Law Firm Encyclopedia,

Eligibility according to Syrian law

نوناقلل ًاقفو ةيلهﻷا

يروسلا

url

234

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Furthermore, joining such groups or organizations provides these minors with a sense

of belonging to a powerful entity capable of offering protection in a region marked by

instability and insecurity.

8. The recruitment of minors occurs in a seemingly random manner, both in terms of

timing and location. However, there is less recruitment in Arab-populated areas such

as Raqqa and Deir Ezzor compared to regions with a high concentration of Kurds, such

as Hasakah, and Qamishli.

9. Although such recruitments of minors continues, they do not necessarily and always

occur with all levels of leadership of this recruiting organization being aware of this.

10. The number of confirmed cases of recruited minors being transferred to PKK training

camps in the Qandil Mountains in Iraq has thus far been limited, according to the

Kurdish media. Although some parents have claimed that their children were taken to

Qandil, subsequent investigations revealed that these children were located elsewhere

within Syria. For instance, in one case, parents asserted their child was taken to Qandil,

but it was later discovered that he was in Manbij.

11. Instances of minors being recruited into the SDF still occur according to the families of

minors. However, there is limited evidence that such recruitment involves the use of

force.

12. Despite the SDF's declared intent to cease the recruitment of minors, it continues for

several reasons. It can be challenging to ascertain that an individual is under 18 based

on physical appearance alone, and some minors falsify their age and documents to be

recruited. Additionally, there are instances where individual SDF officers knowingly

recruit minors, disregarding their age.

13. The number of minors recruited by the SDF has somewhat decreased in recent years;

however, recruitment still occurs.

14. Few child protection offices remain active, though not to the same extent as when

they were first established. The decline in activity is attributed to a lack of resources

and shifting priorities within the SDF. This decline is considered unfortunate, as these

offices were effective and provided reliable information on child recruitment.

Mee ng with Wladimir van Wilgenburg, journalist, Erbil, 30. April

2024

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Recruitment to the SDF

1. The SDF is the primary military force in areas under DAANES control, and is used in

active combat.

2. The SDF pays high salaries to its soldiers compared to other armed groups in Syria.

3. People who want to join the SDF go to the SDF military recruitment centres to enlist for

service.

4. There are no reports of women being forced to join the SDF.

5. A large number of people perceive the Self-Defence Duty Forces (HXP) as synonymous

with the SDF, often conflating the two. However, the SDF and the HXP are separate

forces with different commanders. Sometimes, the confusion between the two forces

make the organisations that report about military recruitment in NES to mistakenly

report the mandatory Self-Defence Duty as forced recruitment to the SDF.

Recruitment of minors

6. There have been a couple of cases regarding the recruitment of minors to the SDF and

the Asayish. A recent report highlighted the participation of minors in Asayish training

with coalition forces. However, the number of reported cases of minor recruitment has

been decreasing with most instances now primarily associated with the Revolutionary

Youth Movement (RY), or Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger in Kurdish.

7. Most minors attempt to join the SDF for economic reasons, especially in cases from the

areas of NES with an Arab majority population. Some Kurdish minors joining the SDF do

so for ideological reasons.

8. As far as the source is aware, there have not been any cases of minors being recruited

into the HXP.

The Self-Defence Duty

9. People conscripted to the Mandatory Self-Defence Duty receive a small financial

compensation for their service.

10. According to the Self-Defence Duty law, the service is mandatory for men. Women are

able to serve in the HXP on a voluntary basis, and there have been no cases of women

being forcefully recruited to HXP.

11. The Self-Defence Duty has occasionally been suspended in the areas with an Arab

majority population due to criticism from the population in these areas. People in the

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Kurdish areas, such as Kobane and Qamishli, are also critical of the Self-Defence Duty,

but in these areas it was implemented nonetheless.

12. In the areas with an Arab majority such as Deir Ezzour and Raqqa, the DAANES is

careful not to push for the implementation of the Self-Defence Duty due to the local

dynamics and the risk of provoking a conflict with Arabs. The source is not sure

whether the DAANES has started implementing the Self-Defence Duty in areas with an

Arab majority.

13. At the same time, there is not a lot of employment opportunities in Raqqa or Deir

Ezzour, which is why the population in these areas resist doing service in the HXP,

where the conscripts merely receive a minimal financial compensation. In these areas,

it is easier to recruit people by offering them a salary, for instance by recruitment to

the SDF.

14. The DAANES is generally more careful regarding the implementation of law on

sensitive issues such as education, gender rights or military service in the areas where

the majority of the population are Arabs. An example of this is polygamy. While there

are not many cases of polygamy among Syrian Kurds, and the few cases there are

mainly concentrated within the older generation, polygamy is quite prevalent within

the Arab tribes of this area.

15. The Self-Defence law is mostly implemented in areas with a Kurdish majority, such as

Hasakah-province or the area around Kobane. However, the DAANES is slowly

attempting to implement it in Deir Ezzour, Raqqa and Tabqa.

16. The HXP is an auxiliary force mainly used to guard buildings and checkpoints, and not

used for active combat. However, sometimes when there is heavy fighting in an area

where the HXP is present, they get involved in active combat. Last summer there was

heavy fighting in Deir Ezzour, where the HXP conscripts present in the area were

involved and suffered casualties. They were also involved in the fighting at Tell Abyad,

where there were rumours that a lot of people from the Self-Defence Force ran away,

when the heavy fighting erupted. Two years ago, conscripts serving in the HXP were

also involved in active combat, when ISIS attacked Hasakah prison, which was primarily

guarded by the HXP.

17. In general, the laws provisions related to the length of the Self-Defence and the

recruitment age are respected by DAANES authorities.

The Revolu onary Youth Movement (RYM)

18. The RYM is a radical youth group affiliated with the PYD. The group is thus not the

same as and has no organizational relationship to the SDF or the HXP. The group does

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political marches and protests, and it has been accused of attacking the rivals of the

PYD, the Kurdish National Council, and burning down their offices.

19. The RYM is accused of recruiting minors, the DAANES continues to be criticised by the

UN for not taking sufficient measure to stop recruitment of minors.

20. It is difficult to determine, whether such recruitments take place voluntarily or by

force. This is partly due to the significant gap between the findings of the several

reports drafted about recruitment of minor by different organisations; while some of

these reports describe the recruitments as being voluntary, others present a

completely different picture and characterize these recruitments as forcible.

21. At the same time, the research conducted on this topic is limited. What makes the

picture additionally blurred is the general perception among the local population as

well as international organisations that any recruitment without the consent of the

minor’s parents is to be considered forced recruitment even if the minor joins the

group voluntarily.

22. Finally, it could be that the information about forced recruitment (e.g. abduction etc.)

of minors to the RYM originate in the majority of cases from the parents, who are

unhappy about their children being recruited without the parents’ consent.

23. Many of the accusations regarding forced recruitment of minors to this group originate

from Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood in Aleppo. Often these accusations are

published by media critical to the DAANES.

24. There are also media reports of young girls being forced to join the RYM against their

will.

25. There is speculation that minors recruited to the RYM will end up as fighters, for

instance in the SDF or the PKK, whilst others will be used in the group’s activities, e.g.

demonstrations and protest marches.

26. The RYM has offices in Armuda and Qamishli, where they are involved in actions, such

as protests and marches, when tension is high between the Kurdish political parties,.

It is unclear whether the RYM is supported or condoned by the DAANES, and it is

unclear who actually controls the group.

Local knowledge about the diﬀerent groups

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27. The local population of NES is able to tell the difference between the HXP, the SDF and

the Asayish and. The different military groups wear different uniforms and have

different logos. Some militias within the SDF even have their own logos.

28. This may have been unclear in the in the beginning, when these groups were

established especially in areas of NES with an Arab majority, but after all these years

people know the difference, and their logos are written in Arabic and Kurdish.

The security squares and recruitment SAA

29. People with outstanding security issues or wanted for military service are reluctant to

go to the security squares in Hasakah and Qamishli.

30. People with outstanding security issues or wanted for military service are reluctant to

go to the security square in Qamishli to fly to Damascus, as there is a high risk of their

identity being checked and then being arrested when they approach the airport.

31. There is a de facto agreement between the DAANES and the GoS, which generally

inhibits the GoS from recruiting by force in NES. However, the security squares of

Hasakah and Qamishli are outside of the SDF zone of influence.

32. People with outstanding security issues or wanted for military service are reluctant to

enter government offices in the Hasakah security square. Instead, they renew

passports and documents outside of Syria.

Leaving NES

33. The destruction of infrastructure in NES by Turkey has had direct impact on the

economy of NES, and the employment rate is very low. Kobane is economically isolated

because of Turkey taking control of Tal Abyad/Serekaniye. It is difficult to reach there,

the road is long from the border and people need to go from Hasakah to Raqqa and

then to Kobane.

34. An increasing number of people are leaving NES due to deteriorating economic

situation, which is also related to the inflation of the Syrian Pound and the lack of

employment opportunities. The future of NES remains highly uncertain, and there is

considerable dissatisfaction among residents with the region's poorly maintained

educational system.

35. People leaving NES irregularly are usually smuggled through Turkish-controlled areas

into Turkey, and subsequently to Europe. People using this route run the risk of being

detained by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army militias (SNA). Previously the

main route was via KRI to Turkey.

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WhatsApp mee ng with Fanar Al-Kait and Khaled Ibrahim,

Department of Foreign Rela ons of the DAANES, Qamishli, April 28,

2024

Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

1. Mandatory Self-Defence Duty (hereafter referred to as Self-Defence Duty) is a

compulsory military service for young men in areas under the control of the DAANES. It

is regulated by the Mandatory Self-Defence Duty Law of 2014, with the latest amended

version from 2024.

2. The law regulating Self-Defence Duty does not discriminate based on race or language

and applies to individuals born in areas of North

and

East Syria under the control of the

DAANES. These areas include Hasakah and Raqqa governorates and parts of Deir ez-Zor

governorate. It does not apply to residents of NES who come from other parts of Syria

unless they have resided in NES for at least three years.

3. According to the law, Self-Defence Duty is mandatory only for men who have reached

the age of 18 and those born up to 1998, depending on the individual’s circumstances

(educational, occupational, health, etc.).

4. Women can serve in the HXP voluntarily, but their service is not mandatory.

5. Generally, women who volunteer for service primarily perform administrative tasks

and guard duties.

6. The duration of Self-Defence Duty is one year according to the law. However, the law

includes provisions that can extend the service period, such as attempts to evade

service or committing illegal acts during service, but also in emergencies if it is in the

public interest.

7. Decisions related to extending the service period in Self-Defence Duty are made by

local commanders, depending on circumstances and needs.

Tasks during the Self-Defence Duty

8. The HXP are an auxiliary force to the SDF (the main military force in NES).

9. Upon completion of training, recruits typically perform administrative and technical

tasks, in addition to guarding buildings and checkpoints. These tasks are carried out on

the second and third lines in conflict areas, where Self-Defence recruits play a

supportive role.

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10. As a general rule, the HXP do not participate in actual combat, which falls under the

tasks of the SDF. However, there have been incidents where buildings or checkpoints

guarded by the Self-Defence Forces were targeted by the Islamic State or other hostile

groups, resulting in casualties among the serving recruits.

Exemp ons

11. Individuals who have served in the Syrian Democratic Forces or Asayish are exempt

from Self-Defence Duty. The only son in a family and members of martyrs' families are

also not required to perform Self-Defence Duty.

12. The Self-Defence Duty Law includes provisions for medical exemptions, and in such

cases, a medical examination is conducted to determine the individual's capability to

serve.

Documenta on of Self-Defence Duty

13. Completion of Self-Defence Duty is recorded in the individual's military booklet. In

addition, the person who completes the service is provided with a discharge

document.

Evasion

14. If someone tries to evade service, the authorities will not search their home to find

them. However, if the person approaches checkpoints, their identity will be identified,

and they will be temporarily detained and then sent to perform Self-Defence Duty. The

person's family will be notified of this.

Recruitment in the Syrian Democra c Forces

15. Recruitment in the SDF is contractual and based on voluntary service. The contract is

between the individual and the SDF. The duration of contracts ranges from two to five

years or more, depending on the volunteer's preference.

Organiza on of Security Squares

16. Security squares are isolated pockets in Hasakah and Qamishli. In Qamishli, the security

square covers about one square kilometer. The GoS cannot operate outside the

security squares, and checkpoints of the SDF will stop GoS forces if they attempt to

pass with forcibly recruited individuals.

17. The security square in Hasakah is slightly larger than the one in Qamishli, as Hasakah is

the provincial capital and houses many GoS offices.

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18. The security square is literally the meaning of these places, as they are the limited

areas where GoS forces are present.

19. Generally, people do not visit the security square in Qamishli, which is surrounded by

SDF checkpoints.

Security procedures in Security Squares

20. The GoS verifies identities at checkpoints when people enter the security square.

Wanted individuals will not be arrested in the streets of the security square or at the

checkpoints. Detention within the security squares can only occur if the person goes to

the GoS offices, where a database search can be conducted to determine if the

individual has any outstanding security issues, including military service evasion.

Recruitment to the Syrian Army

21. The official stance of the DAANES is that the GoS has no influence in NES. There have

been rare cases of individuals being secretly conscripted by force in the security

squares, but the Autonomous Administration has been able to mediate on their behalf

and secure their release.

Documents issued in NES

22. The DAANES issues driving licenses, educational certificates and family books in areas

under its control.

23. Property documents, residency permits, national passports and central identity

documents, including identity cards, are issued by GoS departments in Hasakah.

24. The identification certificate (Shadat

al-Taarif

in Arabic or

Nasnameh

in Kurdish) is an

identity document issued by the Komeen of the councils (districts, towns, and cities) in

NES under the control of the DAANESation. This certificate confirms the person's

identity and residence (address). It is used, for example, when people apply for jobs

and fuel requests. The identification certificate is not issued according to a

standardized layout. This document is also issued to Ajanibs and Maktoumeen, who

cannot obtain central identity documents issued by the Syrian government.

25. The Komeen system operates parallel to the mukhtar system in areas under GoS

control.

26. Forgery exists in both NES and areas controlled by the GoS. However, the DAANES

keeps records of issued documents, and procedures for verifying and authenticating

documents are in place.

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WhatsApp mee ng with Zydan Asî, Joint Chairman of the Defense

Authority for North and East Syria, the Defence Department of the

DAANES, 2 May 2024

The mandatory Self-Defence Duty

1. When individuals are called up for the Self-Defence Duty, it is determined not solely

based on their year of birth, but by a specific date. For example, this could include all

individuals born on or before a certain day in May 2006. The specific call-up group is

announced on online platforms and TV.

2. Currently, individuals born in 1998 and onwards are being called up to serve, and the

age range is therefore 18-26 years old. This age determination was established in the

latest legislative amendment to the Law on Self-Defence Duty introduced in 2021.

Deferment or exemp on from the Self-Defence Duty

3. Students have the possibility for deferral of their Self-Defence Duty.

4. Pre-university students can defer their Self-Defence Duty for two-three years. For

university students, it can be postponed until they reach the age of 36.

5. Studies and education do not need to take place at an educational institution located

in NES in order for a student to be able to defer his duty; they can also be pursued at

educational institutions in GoS-controlled areas or even in neighboring countries.

6. The Self-Defence Duty law provides provisions for exemption from the Self-Defence

Duty for a number of reasons. Individuals who are the only sons in their families,

persons from families with martyrs, or men who are required to support their families

can be exempted from the Self-Defence Duty. The same applies for the case of being

the sole surviving member of one’s family or because of health reasons, i.e. physical or

mental disabilities.

Individuals residing outside of NES

7. Individuals residing outside of NES and its neighboring countries, who return to the

area, have the option to defer their Self-Defence Duty for one year by paying a fee of

400 USD, which they can do twice in total. After payment, they can freely move around

NES without being drafted to the Self-Defence Duty.

8. Türkiye, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan are considered neighboring countries, and

individuals from NES who reside in these countries are expected to return to fulfil their

military service. However, these citizens can still obtain a deferral of their Self-Defence

Duty if, for example, they are enrolled in an educational institution in Turkey. Likewise,

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they can be exempted from the Self-Defence Duty if they acquire citizenship in one of

these neighboring countries.

9. Until 2019, the law permitted individuals to buy exemption from the Self-Defence Duty

by paying a fee of 6000 USD. This practice was abolished due to concerns that it

exacerbated inequality, as only the affluent could afford to avoid the duty though

payment.

10. Conscripts who report late for their Self-Defence Duty without valid reason are

sanctioned with an additional one or two month(s) of service, extending their Self-

Defence Duty with one month.

11. The HXP does not have a reserve force. Individuals who have completed their military

service are not called up again.

12. A person may be retained in service (Ehtefaz in Arabic

ظافتحا)

in two situations. The first

is if someone enlists for military service late. In such case, the service is extended with

additional one or two months. The second is during extraordinary crisis or force

majeure, where individuals may be retained in service. However, the maximum

extension of service in these situations is up to three months.

Bera ez zimma

13. Upon completing the Self-Defence Duty and while individuals are waiting for their Self-

Defence Duty booklets to sent to the, they are issued a document called “Bera

zimma”.

It is a temporary discharge document signifying that the holder of the

document has returned their weapons, uniform and other belongings. It can be

presented at various checkpoints for inspection and used for travel. However, this

document is temporary and must subsequently be replaced with a military booklet.

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Annex 2: Copy of military booklet

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Annex 3: Self-Defence Duty Law (Amended 2024)

Source: The General Assembly of the Democra c Administra on of North and East Syria,

Law

nr. 1: Self-Defence Duty,

2024-amended version

Translated by: The Danish Immigra on Service

___________________________________________________________________________

Based on the provisions of the Basic Charter of the Autonomous Administra on of North and

East Syria,

The General Assembly of the Autonomous Administra on of North and East Syria passed Law

No. (1) of 2019 concerning the Self-Defence Duty in the Autonomous Administra on of North

and East Syria, dated 22/6/2019.

Introduc on:

Self-Defence Duty is a na onal, humanitarian, and moral obliga on that falls on every

individual. It is a duty to defend the na on's borders, its people, and its ins tu ons in

accordance with the legi mate principles of Self-Defence, to protect the community, preserve

coexistence and equality, and maintain the unity of diversity to create a free democra c

society.

Ar cle 1: Deﬁni ons

This law is called the Self-Defence Duty Law and adopts the following deﬁni ons:

Self-Defence Duty:

A mandatory service for males from the regions of the Autonomous

Administra on of North and East Syria who have reached the age of eighteen.

Self-Defence Duty Oﬃce:

An oﬃce under the Defense Department that supplies ﬁghters to

the camps through its centres.

Self-Defence Duty Center:

Responsible for managing the aﬀairs of those obligated to

perform Self-DEfence Duty in accordance with the law and the decisions of the Defense

Department.

Obligated Individual:

Any person who has reached the legal age to perform Self-DEfence

Duty, including residents origina ng from the region, Syrian na onals from outside North and

East Syria who have resided con nuously in the region for more than three years, and those

categorized as Ajanib and Maktoumeen.

Fighter:

Any person who has joined the Self-Defence Duty and undergone training in training

camps.

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Defaulter:

Any obligated individual who has not obtained a Self-DEfence Duty booklet or has

obtained it but has not reported to the Self-DEfence Duty centers without a legal excuse within

60 days from the date of obliga on.

Persons with deferred duty:

Any obligated individual whose service has been deferred

according to this law.

Exempt:

Any obligated individual who is relieved from Self-Defence Duty according to this

law.

Deserter:

Any ﬁghter who is absent from service for more than 15 consecu ve days a er

joining the Self-DEfence Duty.

Missing:

Any person whose whereabouts are completely unknown, whether alive or dead.

Foundling:

A child of unknown parentage with no guardian.

Expatriate:

Any obligated individual residing outside Syrian territories.

Training Camps:

Places for training, preparing, and qualifying ﬁghters, then distribu ng

them to military units through relevant authori es.

Autonomous and Civil Administra ons:

These include the autonomous and civil

administra ons in: Jazira, Afrin, Euphrates, Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor.

Reten on:

The extension of the Self-Defence Duty service based on crucial needs.

Reserve:

Any person who has completed the Self-Defence Duty service and is called up based

on compelling needs to join the reserve service.

General and basic principles

Ar cle 2:

The dura on of the Self-Defence Duty in North and East Syria is 12 full calendar months from

the date of enlistment.

Ar cle 3:

Females have the right to voluntarily join the Self-Defence Duty.

Ar cle 4:

Expatriates returning to the Self-administra on regions are issued a document allowing

movement within the area and must complete the procedures to obtain a Self-Defence Duty

booklet within 30 days from the date of issuing the document. The document is valid from the

date of the person’s entry into the areas under the Self-administra on in North and East Syria

through oﬃcial crossings and it is granted once.

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Ar cle 5:

The Self-Defence Duty booklets are issued based on the individual's place of registra on, and

for individuals [from outside the region] residing in the region based on their place of

residence.

Deferment

Ar cle 6:

Fines are imposed for [the loss or damage of Self-Defence Duty booklets in following situa ons:



First- me loss: 15,000 Syrian pounds.

Second- me loss: 60,000 Syrian pounds.

Third- me and above loss: 120,000 Syrian pounds, and referral to military court.

First- me damage: 15,000 Syrian pounds.

Second- me damage: 30,000 Syrian pounds.

For booklets with exhausted pages, the obligated person pays an oﬃcial fee of 10,000

Syrian pounds.

Third- me and above damage: 60,000 Syrian pounds.

Ar cle 7:

Any forgery or altera on of oﬃcial documents related to Self-Defence Duty will result in the

obligated person being referred to the military court for trial. A er serving his sentence, the

individual will be sent to training camps to complete the duty.

Ar cle 8:

Travel permits, where the traveller is not required to provide a ﬁnancial guarantee, are granted

to:



Families of martyrs

Permanent single sons

Those medically exempt from the Self-Defence Duty

Individuals who have completed their Self-Defence Duty

Individuals with foreign residency permits, a er regularizing their status as per Ar cle

25 of this law

Students studying abroad who are granted admission to universi es outside Syria

Ar cle 9:

Travel permits, where the person is required to provide a personal guarantee, are granted to:

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

Temporary single son for father or mother

Medical cases that cannot be treated [locally]

Students, whose Self-Defence Duty is deferred due to studies within Syria

Individuals, whose Self-Defence Duty is administra vely deferred

The guarantor is required to pay one million Syrian pounds to the public treasury if the

obligated individual does not return within 30 days from the end of the speciﬁed

period in the guarantee, and the guarantee is not renewed properly.

Ar cle 10:

Payment of the guarantee does not exempt the individual from Self-Defence Duty.

Ar cle 11:

All individuals subject to Self-Defence Duty must undergo an ini al medical examina on by a

specialized medical commi ee.

Ar cle 12:

Students performing Self-Defence Duty are granted examina on leave outside the training

period upon presen ng the required documents, and this leave is not counted as a part of the

actual dura on of service.

Ar cle 13:

The conscrip on age begins by the male turning 18 years of age and ends upon comple ng the

period of Self-Defence Duty or being exempted from it. A defaulter must start performing his

Self-Defence Duty before he reaches the age of

Ar cle 14:

The birth dates of those required to perform the Self-Defence Duty are determined by a

decision made by the Defense Oﬃce in each of the autonomous and civil administra ons

according to the speciﬁcity of each administra on, a er being approved by the Defense Oﬃce

in the Autonomous Administra on of North and East Syria.

Ar cle 1

Defaulter conscripted to the Self-Defence Duty will be punished by adding one month to the

end of their service. Defaulters, who failed their srvice before this decision was issued, will be

conscripted to Self-Defence Duty.

Deferment

Ar cle 16:

Students obligated to perform Self-Defence Duty can have their service deferred for a full

academic year star ng from the date 5/31 of each year and ending on the same date of the

following year, provided they present the required iden ﬁca on documents. This applies within

the following age limits:

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5. Deferral requests for high school students are only accepted un l they reach the age of

21 years only.

6. Deferral requests for college students are only accepted un l they reach the age of 24

years.

7. Deferral requests for university students are only accepted un l they reach the age of

26 years.

8. The maximum age for deferment for postgraduate students in all facul es except

medical facul es.

An addi onal three years, equivalent to the dura on of the prescribed years, are added

for postgraduate university students in all facul es except the faculty of medicine.

Maximum

Age

30 years

Type of Study

Maximum Age for

Postponement for

Birth Dates

Until the end of

1990

Remaining Birth

Dates for

Postponement

Until 31-12-2021

For a postgraduate student

graduating from one of the

university faculties where the

study period is four years and the

period of postgraduate study

three years and the period of

prescription years one year

For a postgraduate student

graduating from one of the

university faculties where the

study period is four years and the

period of postgraduate study

three years and the period of

prescription years two years

For a postgraduate student

graduating from one of the

university faculties where the

study period is five years and the

period of postgraduate study

three years and the period of

prescription years one year

31 years

Until the end of

1989

Until 31-12-2021

31 years

Until the end of

1989

Until 31-12-2021

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32 years

For a postgraduate student

graduating from one of the

university faculties where the

study period is five years and the

period of postgraduate study

three years and the period of

prescription years two years

Until the end of

1988

Until 31-12-2021

(…)

Maximum Age

Type of Study

Maximum Age for

Postponement for

Birth Dates

Until the end of 1988

Remaining Birth Dates

for Postponement

32 years

For a postgraduate

student whose study

period is three years

For a student in

general specialized

or partial studies

where the study

period is four years

For a student in

general specialized

or partial studies

where the study

period is five years

For a student in

general specialized

or partial studies

where the study

period is six years

For a student in

general specialized

or partial studies

where the study

period is seven years

Until 31-12-2021

33 years

Until the end of 1987

Until 31-12-2021

34 years

Until the end of 1986

Until 31-12-2021

35 years

Until the end of 1985

Until 31-12-2021

36 years

Until the end of 1985

Until 31-12-2021

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(…)

Ar cle 19:

When a student suspends his study for one year, the suspension year is not considered as one

of the oﬃcial study years, and this applies once during the study period at the university or

educa onal ins tu ons based on the submi ed documents, which explain the reasons for

suspending the studies.

Ar cle 20:

The Self-Defence Duty is deferred for obligated persons who con nue their university studies,

specialized studies and higher educa on abroad, provided that the legal age for academic

deferral is not exceeded. Two years are addedi onally granted if the study is in a foreign

language.

Ar cle 21:

Students of higher educa on are granted deferral for a six months period during the

registra on period, based on the cer ﬁcate proving that they have passed the language

proﬁciency test. For those admi ed to higher educa ons, they are granted deferral for a full

academic year based on the required registra on and documents proving university life.

Ar cle 22:

A one-year deferral is granted as a maximum period for the na onal exam, especially for

students who have passed the required courses and exams in which passing the na onal exam

is required for gradua on.

Ar cle 23:

All students, who are in their gradua on year at universi es and colleges, but who cannot

obtain their ﬁnal exam cer ﬁcate due to exceeding the legal age for deferment, are given an

administra ve deferral for a full year based on documented university life and other required

documents.

Ar cle 24:

Lawyers, whose age has not exceeded 29, are granted a full year of deferment based on the

submi ed documents, however the deferral is granted only for two consecu ve years.

Ar cle 25:

Deferral is granted to brothers of ﬁghters from the same mother within the Self-Defence Forces

a er comple ng the training course. The deferral is given only twice for six months each me.

Ar cle 26:

An administra ve deferral is granted in the following cases:

1. Individual newly returned from abroad for a maximum period of six months.

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2. The only son for a period of two years.

3. The only brother of a missing person for a period of two years.

4. Those whose brother is under 18 years old or whose father is deceased or disabled for

a period of one year.

B. In all the men oned cases, the deferral is granted a er the case being processed by the Self-

Defence Duty Oﬃce and with the approval of the Self-Defence Duty Oﬃce.

Ar cle 27:

Residents and holders of residence permits from all countries (except for countries that share

land borders with Syria) shall pay an annual deferral fee of 400 USD for each year since the date

of passing the law.

Ar cle 28:

Those obligated to perform Self-Defence Duty who are arrested while illegally crossing the

border will be taken directly to training centers.

Ar cle 29:

Following are exempt from the Self-Defence Duty:

1. Sons and brothers of martyrs who are oﬃcially registered in the records of the Martyrs'

Families Authority and hold a martyrdom cer ﬁcate.

2. People with special needs and pa ents with diseases that prevent them from

performing the duty, which is conﬁrmed by a medical report from the Military Medical

Center and the approval of the Defense Oﬃces in administra ve and civil departments.

3. Ssole supporter of parents or one of them, whether they are alive or deceased.

4. Only male child among siblings who are of special needs, based on reports from the

Military Medical Center.

5. Foundling who does not have a known lineage.

Ar cle 30:

Doctors, pharmacists, and those commi ed to rural service are granted a full year's deferment

for two consecu ve year based on the presented documents, provided they do not exceed the

age of thirty.

Ar cle 31:

The ﬁghter is discharged if the period of service in Self-Defence Duty is completed, provided

they are not retained.

Ar cle 32:

Only one brother of each ﬁghter enlisted in the military forces is granted deferral from the Self-

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Defence Duty. The deferral is granted on the basis of an oﬃcial le er from the General

Command of the Syrian Democra c Forces (SDF).

Ar cle 33:

Regarding discharge of ﬁghters and members:



Those who have served in the military forces for more than four years are discharged

form the Self-Defence Duty based on an oﬃcial le er from the General Command of

the Syrian Democra c Forces (SDF).

Those who have been members of military regiments for two consecu ve years are

discharged from the Self-Defence Duty a er the end of their contract period, based on

an oﬃcial le er from the General Command of the Syrian Democra c Forces (SDF),

accompanied by a copy of the contract.

Members of the Internal Security Forces who have served for more than ﬁve years

within the service period men oned in their contracts are discharged from the Self-

Defence Duty based on an oﬃcial le er from the General Command of the Internal

Security, accompanied by a copy of the contract.



Ar cle 34:

The ﬁghter is discharged upon proving permanent or par al disability based on a report from

the specialized medical commi ee and the approval of the Defense Oﬃce in administra ve and

civil departments.

Ar cle 35:

Every obligated individual who fails to obtain the Self-Defence Duty booklet for more than two

months from the date of being obligated to serve is penalized as follows:

1. A ﬁne of 6000 Syrian pounds for not obtaining the booklet

2. A fine of 5000 Syrian pounds for failing to defer one’s service more than two months

Ar cle 36:

Anyone holding Syrian na onality as well as Ajanib and Maktoumeen are obligated to perform

the Self-Defence Duty whilst those holding non-Syrian na onality are not required to conduct

the duty.

Ar cle 37:

The Self-Defence Oﬃce in the Autonomous Administra on of North and East Syria must issue

execu ve instruc ons within a period of one month from the date of passing this law.

Ar cle 38:

a. All previous laws regarding Self-Defence Duty in administra ve and civil departments are

repealed.

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b. This law takes eﬀect from the date of its passing and approval by the General Assembly on

Saturday, 22/6/2019.

Note: Ar cle (36) was amended on 03/15/2020 a er being voted on by the General Assembly

unanimously.

Note: Ar cle (1) was amended on 01/04/2021 a er being voted on by the majority to replace

paragraphs (5-4-6) with Schedule No. (4).

Note: Ar cle (26) was amended on 01/09/2021 a er being voted on by the majority in regular

session No. (41).

**Ar cle (30) remains unchanged, and the method of explaining deferment by the execu ve

instruc ons issued by the Self-Defence Oﬃce in the administra on of North and East Syria is

amended. This was voted on by the majority in regular session No. (41) on 01/09/2021.

Note: Ar cle (1) was amended on 04/11/2022 a er being voted on by the majority in regular

session No. (49).

Note:

1. The law was amended in session No. (57) on 28/07/2022 a er being voted on by the

majority for the amendments.

2. A clause was added to Ar cle (6).

3. Clause (C) of Ar cle (6) was amended.

4. The number of ar cles in this law became (36) ar cles.

Note: Some amendments were made to the Self-Defence Duty Law in regular session No. 87 of

the General Assembly dated 26/09/2023, and they are as follows:

1. Clauses (A, B, C, D, H, W, Z) of Ar cle (6) were amended.

2. A special ar cle was added regarding the deferment of students undergoing the

na onal exam, and it became Ar cle (22).

Note: An ar cle was added and took the number (30), concerning the deferment of doctors

working in the countryside. The numbers of the old ar cles were changed accordingly, shi ing

the previous ar cles, and the number of ar cles in the law became (38) ar cles.

Joint Presidency of the General Assembly in the Autonomous Administra on of North and East

Syria

Siham Qeriyo - Farid A

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Annex 4: Terms of Reference

1. Implementation of the Law on Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

1.1. Geographical prevalence of recruitment to HXP

1.2. Prevalence of recruitment of men under 18 and over 24

1.3. Discharge of conscripts upon completing Self-Defence Duty

1.4. Calling up for reserve duty

1.5. Enforcement of exemption rules

1.6. Prevalence of forced recruitment of women

1.7. Ethnic profile of those conscripted to HXP

1.8. Treatment of other ethnic groups (e.g. Arabs) while serving the Mandatory Self-

Defence Duty

1.9. Consequences of draft evasion and desertion from the Mandatory Self-Defence Duty,

including consequences for the person’s family

1.10.

Documentation of having performed Mandatory Self-Defence Duty

1.11.

Involvement of HXP in active fighting

1.12.

Involvement of HXP in violations against civilians or other types of human

rights violations

2. Recruitment to SDF

2.1. Prevalence of forced recruitment

2.2. Prevalence of forced recruitment of minors

2.3. Conscription to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA)

2.4. Prevalence of conscription to military service in SAA

3. Prevalence of recruitment to HPG/PKK

3.1. Recruitment to Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM)

3.2. Recruitment to HPG/PKK via RYM

3.3. Direct recruitment to HPG/PKK

4. Extent of local people’s knowledge about different armed groups