RAS AL-AIN — On July 17, Kurdish fighters expelled jihadist groups from the mixed city of Ras al-Ain, known in Kurdish as Serikaniye. Afterward, the fighting spread between al-Qaeda and the People’s Defense Units (YPG) in several areas of northern Syria. The fighting with radical Islamists increased the support for the YPG, despite its closeness to the Kurdish rebels from Turkey.

The YPG claims it is independent, but it is close to the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Nevertheless, the YPG sees itself as neutral, although pictures of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan are seen everywhere in YPG camps, and YPG fighters say they follow Ocalan’s philosophy.

“I can say that the YPG is not for one party or for one party’s benefit. It’s a necessity, because the troops that come to our land didn’t come for one party, for the PYD or others; they come to attack all the Kurdish land, people and culture,” YPG commander Militan Derik said of the Islamist rebels.  

Speaking in Serikaniye, she told Al-Monitor, “We want to ask the other parties why they haven’t supported us. We need an answer to this.”  She was referring to rival Kurdish parties of the PYD who do not accept the YPG.