Activists in Raqqa city (northeastern Syria) said that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) detained more than 500 people over the past few days, releasing only those who carried papers postponing mandatory military service.

Media activist Fares al-Thakhiera from Raqqa told Enab Baladi that the arrests took place suddenly in several neighborhoods of the city, targeting young men amid fears that the aim was to send them to the Deir Hafer front (east of Aleppo), where tensions have been flaring between the Syrian army and the SDF.

In contrast, the SDF denied accusations of forced conscription in Raqqa, describing them as “completely baseless.”

In a statement issued on October 1, the group stated that the operation was a “routine security measure to verify personal identities and ensure the validity of identification documents,” emphasizing that the step was aimed at “preserving the region’s stability and security from any breaches.”

Recent recruitment campaigns

On June 26, the SDF resumed its conscription campaign in al- Hasakah province, following a circular that designated those born between 1998 and June 30, 2006 as required for “self-defense duty.”

At that time, Enab Baladi’s correspondent in al-Hasakah reported that SDF “military police” patrols were deployed across the main roads, particularly those linking Amuda, Qamishli, Qahtaniyah, Jawadiyah, and up to al-Malikiyah.

Age groups required for military service

According to a decision issued on June 22, 2024, the Autonomous Administration set the age groups obligated to join the SDF’s military ranks.

It stated that those born between 1998 and June 30, 2006, are required for what it calls “self-defense duty in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.”

The circular added that “all conscripts who have reached the age of 18 must report to self-defense duty centers to obtain the service booklet.”

Conscription policy

The Autonomous Administration enforces conscription through recurring arrest campaigns targeting young men and even minors, drafting them for nearly one year of service that includes training, indoctrination in Öcalan’s thought, and supervision by commanders from the Qandil Mountains, before sending them to active frontlines.

The Administration first imposed its conscription law, branded as “self-defense duty”, in November 2017, requiring young men and women in areas under its control in northeastern Syria to serve.

Mandatory conscription obliges individuals in Autonomous Administration areas to join its military and security forces to defend its territories and borders, similar to compulsory service in the ranks of the Syrian government forces.