Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement
Yurtsever Devrimci Gençlik Hareketi (YDG-H)
Tevgera Ciwanen Welatparêzên Şoreşger
Foundation2006
Dates of operation2012 (2012)–2018 (2018)
CountryTurkey
Active regionsSoutheastern Anatolia Region (Turkey)
IdeologyDemocratic confederalism
Autonomy
Kurdish Nationalism
Size8,000-15,000
YDG-H armed members in Cizre, Şırnak, Turkey.

The Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Ciwanen Welatparêzên Şoreşger, Turkish: Yurtsever Devrimci Gençlik Hareket, YDG-H) was the urban, militant youth wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from 2006-2015.[1] Trained by more experienced PKK cadres for urban fighting,[2] and consisting mostly of children and adults in the 15-25 age group,[3] it was reportedly established in 2006.[1] The group started to clash with Turkish security forces and tried to enforce their authority in the areas they were located in 2014 as part of a strategy which involved unilateral declaration of self-management in various towns in southeastern Turkey, and creation of trenches and barricades reinforced with IEDs and explosives to deny security forces access.[4]

The group was in favor of regional self-management for the Kurdish people in Southeast Anatolia. Other claimed objectives of the YDG-H include stopping all activities related to drugs and prostitution, and other similar crimes in the region.[5]

In December 2015, the YDG-H was reorganized into the Civil Protection Units (YPS) militia.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "A new generation of Kurdish militants takes fight to Turkey's cities". Reuters. 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  2. ↑ "Children of the PKK: The Growing Intensity of Turkey's Civil War - SPIEGEL ONLINE - International". Der Spiegel. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  3. ↑ "PKK looks to the future with creation of youth militias". Al-Monitor. 2015-08-31. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  4. ↑ "The Human Cost of the PKK Conflict in Turkey: The Case of Sur". Crisis Group. 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  5. ↑ VICE News (2015-02-13), PKK Youth Fight for Autonomy in Turkey, retrieved 2017-03-30
  6. ↑ "Managing Turkey's PKK Conflict: The Case of Nusaybin". Crisis Group. 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
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