Basic Guide to Factions in the Syrian Civil War - Part IV - Kurdish Rebels

For those who want a basic guide to who's who in the Syrian Civil War, here is a list of all factions in the civil war with a short description of their goals, size, and allegiance. For the fourth and final part, here is a list of all those affiliated with the Kurdish Rebels, a series of rebels fighting both for Kurdish autonomy and Kurdish independence for Syrian Kurdistan.

Kurdish Supreme Committee - Umbrella organization for Kurdish rebels in Syria started by the Democratic Union Party.

• Democratic Union Party - Syrian Kurdish political party and rebel group. It is loosely affiliated with the PKK, a designated terrorist organization by multiple countries including the United States and NATO, though they themselves do not engage in terrorism. The group's leader claims that the PYD is trying to establish an autonomous Kurdish state within Syria, similar to that of Iraqi Kurdistan. However within the group, the position on whether or not to pursue autonomy or full independence is split roughly down the middle.

• People's Protection Units - Official armed wing of the Kurdish Supreme Committee. They are estimated to have between 10,000 and 15,000 fighters.

• Asayiš - Official intelligence agency of the Kurdish Supreme Committee, often compared to be the secret police of the organization.

• Kurdish National Council - Kurdish Autonomist Political organization. It has 11 subsidiary political parties dedicated to the Syrian Kurdish cause.

Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union - Kurdish political organization that split off from the Kurdish National Council. It often clashes with the Popular Protection Units. It is estimated that the organization has 1,500 fighters.

Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria - Kurdish autonomist political party.

Kurdish Union Party - Kurdish autonomist political party.

Azadi Kurdish Party - Kurdish autonomist political party.

Jabhat Al-Akrad Battalion - Kurdish nationalist militia.

Non-Lethal Military Support - Countries that give logistical support, fuel, and other materials to the Kurdish rebels.

• Iraqi Kurdistan - Sends funding to the Kurdish rebels.
• PJAK - Sends funding to the Kurdish rebels.
• PKK - Sends funding to the Kurdish rebels.