Anti-Terror Units
| Anti-Terror Units | |
|---|---|
| Kurdish: Yekîneyên Antî Teror | |
 |
|
| Active | 2014–present |
| Country |
 Rojava
|
| Branch |
 People's Protection Units (YPG) Women's Protection Units (YPJ) |
| Type | Special forces |
| Role |
Counter-insurgency Counter-terrorism Direct Action High Value Targets/Manhunting Intelligence Operations Mobility Operations Unconventional Warfare |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Ali Boutan (nom de guerre: Haji Kurkhan) † |
The Anti-Terror Units (Kurdish: Yekîneyên Antî Teror, short: YAT, Arabic: وحدات مكافحة الأرهاب) are the special forces of the Syrian Democratic Forces, consisting of the best trained and equipped members of the People's Protection Units (YPG) and Women's Protection Units (YPJ). They were led by the renown Syrian Kurdish commander Ali Boutan until his death. YAT is trained by United States special operations forces and the CIA.
Formed as YPG's special forces in late 2014, the unit was organized to seek and destroy ISIL sleeper cells in Rojava, and also to conduct operations behind enemy lines. Initially, YAT members were chosen by the YPG and YPJ as simply the most brave and devoted fighters within those units, but not as true special or elite forces. This changed under the leadership of Ali Boutan, who reformed the unit and began to put its members through training courses that were supposed to emulate those of US and British SOF, while providing them with the best equipment the YPG/YPJ could afford. As the cooperation between the Kurdish forces and the United States increased, YAT was further trained by US SOF and the CIA in special compounds in Rojava and Jordan, while some YAT commanders were even sent to Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell for especially intense training.
Since its formation, YAT has carried out raids against ISIL targets on Mount Abdulaziz, arrested ISIL sleeper cells, and stopped ISIL terrorist attacks. In September 2016, YAT captured two Sultan Murad Division fighters who had previously been filmed torturing YPG fighters in Jarabulus.
...
Wikipedia