International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces

(Redirected from IRPGF) International leftist guerilla forces in Syria

International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces
Emblem of the IRPGF
Leaders	None (anarchy organisation)
Dates of operation	31 March 2017 – 24 September 2018
Group(s)	TQILA
Active regions	Rojava
Ideology	Anarcho-communism Anarcha-feminism Queer anarchism
Political position	Far-left
Status	Inactive
Size	Unknown
Part of	International Freedom Battalion
Allies	Syrian Democratic Forces People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units International Anti-Fascist Battalion Kurdistan Workers' Party People's Defence Forces Free Women's Units
Opponents	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Turkey
Battles and wars	Syrian Civil War Raqqa offensive Battle of Tabqa Battle of Raqqa (2017)
Colours	Black Red
Flag
Insignia
Website	Twitter
Succeeded by Tekoşîna Anarşîst

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

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

Affiliation

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

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

Armed struggle and involvement in the Syrian Civil War

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

The Queer Insurrection and Liberation Army

The Queer Insurrection and Liberation Army (TQILA), a queer anarchist subunit of the IRPGF, formed in July 2017 as a group of foreign militia who came to fight alongside the Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG). Its formation went viral on social media and was widely reported and celebrated in the Western press.

Gallery

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

References

Moore, Jack (25 July 2017). "First LGBT unit created to fight ISIS in Syria. Its name? The Queer Insurrection". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
Kentish, Ben (25 July 2017). "'The Queer Insurrection': Coalition forces fighting Isis in Syria form first LGBT unit". The Independent. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
"Interview with the International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces". Kurdish Question. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
@IRPGF (28 June 2017). "From #Raqqa to #LatinAmerica & those fighting #femicide: Without a woman's revolution, there is no revolution!…" (Tweet). Retrieved 6 July 2017 – via Twitter.
@IRPGF (11 June 2017). "In #Tabqa we helped liberate a society imprisoned & controlled by fear & violence. But this tactic isn't unique to…" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 June 2017 – via Twitter.
Vice Staff (June 2, 2017). "Greek Anarchists Are Helping Kurdish Forces Fight ISIS". Vice. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
@IRPGF (24 September 2018). "Final communique from the IRPGF" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
"Siria, quei ragazzi venuti da mezzo mondo a combattere l'Isis". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
"В Рожаве создана новая организация партизан-анархистов | Новости Курдистана". kurdistan.today (in Russian). Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
"Bumerang etkisi: BATI'nın beslediği anarşistler PKK çatısı altında terörize oluyor". EHA MEDYA. 3 April 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
"Batı'nın karşısındaki terör tehdidi – Son Dakika Dünya Haberleri | STAR". Star.com.tr (in Turkish). 4 April 2017. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
"Four martyrs of Raqqa operation laid to rest". Derik, Cizire. ANF News. 1 June 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017. (Multimedia—Photography and video in which the IRPGF flag is observed in the formation of the IFB)
Ajansı, Etkin Haber (1 June 2017). "Bayraktaroğlu ve Rakka şehitleri son yolculuğuna uğurlandı Haber Detay". ETHA. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
@TheBaseBK (2 June 2017). "Four martyrs of Raqqa operation laid to rest" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Esteban, Nacho (27 July 2017). "TQILA, un mal trago para la homofobia". HuffPost (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
^ Orton, Kyle (17 July 2018). "The Secular Foreign Fighters of the West in Syria". Insight Turkey. 20 (3): 157–177. doi:10.25253/99.2018203.12. ISSN 1302-177X. S2CID 158929243.
"Greek Anarchists Are Helping Kurdish Forces Fight ISIS". Vice. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2023.

External links

Syrian civil war

Overviews

Main overviews	Syria Rojava Syrian civil war Timeline Background and causes Syrian peace process Syrian government reactions Belligerents Inter-rebel conflict Spillover Cities and towns Sectarianism and minorities Syrian Desert campaign (December 2017–present)
Effects and ongoing concerns	Casualties of the Syrian civil war Refugees of the Syrian civil war Humanitarian aid during the Syrian civil war Human rights violations during the Syrian civil war
Phases and processes	Syrian revolution Early insurgency phase 2012–2013 escalation Ceasefires Syrian peace process
World reaction	International reactions to the Syrian civil war Foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war Reactions to the fall of the Assad regime
Specific groups and countries	Russian involvement Russian intervention Turkish involvement Turkish occupation of northern Syria Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria US intervention in the Syrian civil war 2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria Kurdish Area in Syria Syrian Democratic Forces Rojava conflict U.S. task force
Agreements and dialogues	Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria Relations between Syrian government and Kurdish groups in Syria
Transitional phase	Syrian transitional government

Timeline

Background

2011
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2012
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2013
Jan–Apr
May–Dec

2014
Jan–Jul
Aug–Dec

2015
Jan–Jul
Aug–Dec

2016
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2017
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
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2018
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
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2019
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
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2020
Jan–Dec

2021
Jan–Dec

2022
Jan–Dec

2023
Jan-Dec

2024
Jan–Oct
Nov–present

Spillover

Israel and Golan Heights:	March 2017 incident February 2018 incident May 2018 Israel–Iran incidents
Iraq:	Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi border airstrike
Jordanian border incidents	April 2014 Jordanian border airstrike
Lebanon:	Lebanese border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut North Lebanon clashes Qalamoun (Jul–Aug 2017)
Turkey:	December 2011 Turkish border clash 2012 Turkish F-4 Phantom shootdown 2012 Turkish border clashes 2013 Reyhanlı car bombings January 2014 Turkish attack in Syria Assassination of Andrei Karlov Russian Air Force Al-Bab incident 2020 Balyun airstrikes Operation Spring Shield
Elsewhere:	Deir ez-Zor missile strike (Iran)

Belligerents

Ba'athist regime

Politics of Ba'athist Syria	Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab Socialist Movement Syrian Communist Party
Military and militias	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Resistance PFLP-GC al-Quds Brigade Palestine Liberation Army
Foreign support	Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Liwa Fatemiyoun Russian involvement medical facility targeting military intervention Wagner Group Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Popular Mobilization Forces

Opposition

Interim government	National Coalition Local Coordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Syrian Patriotic Group
Opposition militias	Syrian National Army Free Syrian Army National Front for Liberation Army of Glory Authenticity and Development Front Army of Free Tribes Revolutionary Commando Army Muslim Brotherhood in Syria Grey Wolves
Foreign support	US intervention Jordanian intervention Qatar Saudi Arabia Turkey

Autonomous Administration
of North and East Syria

DFNS Government	Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council Smaller political parties
SDF militias	People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Anti-Terror Units Al-Sanadid Forces Army of Revolutionaries SDF military councils Syriac Military Council Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa Northern Democratic Brigade
Support	Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Kurdistan Workers' Party International Freedom Battalion Sinjar Resistance Units Êzîdxan Women's Units

Islamists

Islamic State

al-Qaeda and allies

People

Elections	2011 local elections 2012 parliamentary election 2014 presidential election 2015 Northern local elections 2016 parliamentary election 2017 Northern local elections 2017 Northern regional elections 2018 local elections 2020 parliamentary election 2021 presidential election
Issues	Casualties Cities and towns Chemical weapons Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International demonstrations and protests International reactions Massacres Mass graves Refugees Sectarianism and minorities Status of the Golan Heights Spillover in Lebanon Syrian government reactions
Peace process	Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN supervision mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Idlib demilitarization (2018–present) First Northern Syria Demilitarization Deal Second Northern Syria Demilitarization Deal Syrian Constitutional Committee
Investigations/legal cases	Investigations International Commission Chemical weapons War crimes cases Germany Canada + Netherlands vs Syria
Related topics	Exclusive mandate Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian detainee report Syrian media coverage 2015 European migrant crisis Syrian civil war in popular culture