People's Defense Units (YPG) and Women's Defense Units (YPJ) guerrillas in Rojava are engaged in fighting al-Qaeda-linked armed groups since 15 July 2013. A remarkable part of the region has been cleared of the gang groups as a result of the resistance by Kurdish guerrillas as well as by local people supporting them in the villages, towns, districts and provinces of western Kurdistan.

Radical Islamist groups intensified their attacks against Rojava as of 19 July, the anniversary of the Rojava revolution in 2012. Kurdish fighters have since been resisting against the attacks by not only the gang groups organized and backed by Turkey but also against those by the Ba'ath regime.

Attacks targeting the regions of Aleppo, Efrîn, Serêkaniyê, Girkê Legê, Çilaxa, Kobanê and Girê Sipî (Tal Abyad) aim to invade the Kurdish region and to break the will of the Kurdish people fighting for freedom.

The groups affiliated to Free Syrian Army and al-Qaeda linked jihadist fronts first attacked the Serêkaniyê city on 15 November 2012. It was the first armed attack targeting Rojava after the 19 July revolution of the Kurdish people in Syria's Kurdish territory. Following one week of severe clashes with the Kurdish people and their defense units YPG, the gang groups had to withdraw from the region and called for truce which was put into practice after a series of talks between both sides. The ceasefire was however broken by the gang groups who re-started to attack the Kurdish neighborhoods in the region on 15 January 2013.

A considerable part of the gang groups was repulsed from the city following 15 days of intense clashes and strong response by YPG fighters. Months later, the armed groups launched another attack against the city on 15 July after they settled in the Mehet neighborhood. The resistance of YPG fighters forced the groups to withdraw from the region which was completely cleared of the jihadist militants of the groups.

The region suffered at the same time from the attacks of the Syrian regime after the militants of FSA and gang groups, backed by the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, entered Aleppo. As attacks continued, the Syrian military tried to take control of the Sheik Maksoud region which is of strategical importance and is mainly populated by Kurds. The region, because of its strategic position, is still being attacked by groups affiliated to the FSA and is witnessing intense clashes between the armed groups and YPG fighters. Sheik Maksoud and Esrefiye neighborhoods are currently under the control of YPG units.

The states in the region and the Syrian regime took action after discussions broke out over an interim government in western Kurdistan. Syria and Turkish states therewith started to launch attacks against Rojava through the gang groups ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham) and al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front. The hostility against Kurds made the two counter powers in the region come together in the same front with the primary aim to invade the oil-rich Kurdish region.

Displaying a strong resistance against the gang groups, YPG fighters saved the regions of Qîlo, Tal Elo and Tahunê. Hundreds of gang militants were killed, four tanks were destroyed and hundreds of ammunition stores were seized by YPG since clashes broke out on 17 July 2013.

Clashes in Girkê Legê later expanded to Tirbespiyê and Dêrik. Following intense clashes in the region, YPG repulsed the Islamist groups from the villages of Hemara, Mehmed Diyab, Xirabdip and Xirbê Sûkiyê. YPG continues to fight to save the villages of Mazluma, Sofya and Taya from the groups. YPG seized the control of a large area, including oil-rich areas and the villages of Siwêdiye, Sipehiye, Xedan, Sikeriye and Xerap Jîr, after long-continued clashes in Dêrik region.

Having suffered heavy losses in Serêkaniyê, Dêrik, Girkê Legê and Tirbespiyê, the gang groups massacred dozens of civilians and held hundreds of others captive in Girê Sipî (Tal Abyad). Supporting YPG fighters in the face of the attacks by the gang groups trying to clear the region of Kurds, the Kurdish Front Jabhat al-Akrad launched an expansive operation against the Islamist groups in Çelbê, Bir Kino, Sedê, Meha, Susikê, Sarinc, Yapsê and Til Findir. In the scope of the operation which is still continuing, the Kurdish Front has saved the regions of Çelbê, Bîr Kino, Sedê, Meha, Susikê and Sarinc which had earlier been taken by gang militants. Dozens of gangs were killed since the beginning of the operation.

As clashes expanded to the southwest of Kobanê, the Syrian regime and Turkey-backed gang groups tried to take the control of the city with the support of collaborative “Kurdish groups”. The regions of Dogurman, İlacax, Qenayê, Çepilwêran Qurdînê, Qînê, Çeqel Wêran, El Boraz, Sehil and Zor Mexer were taken back from armed groups as a result of the strong resistance by YPG fighters.

Having intensified in the region between Tel Xelef and Serêkaniyê, clashes expanded to Dirbêsiyê, Til Temir and Ebu Rasen town located between Til Temir and Serêkaniyê. Following two days of intense clashes, Ebu Rasen and the villages around were completely cleared of the gang groups. YPG established the mainly Arabic Evdilmenaf Ednan Battalion to provide the security of the mainly Arabic town.

In a statement about the recently intensified attacks against Rojava, YPG said on 16 August that 800 members of the gang groups were killed in clashes in the last one month. YPG said 80 Kurdish fighters also lost their life in clashes which are still continuing in many regions.