page_title: Rojava–Islamist conflict
section_title: Turkish intervention (2015-present)
hierarchical_section_title: Rojava–Islamist conflict / The conflict / Turkish intervention (2015-present)
caption_attribution_description: English: FSA Captures Bursaya Mountain And Begin The Battles To Reach Afrin
context_page_description: The Rojava-Islamist conflict, a major theater in the Syrian Civil War, started after fighting erupted between the Kurdish-majority People's Protection Units and Islamist rebel factions in the city of Ras al-Ayn. The YPG launched a campaign in an attempt to take control of the Islamist-controlled areas in the governorate of al-Hasakah and parts of Raqqa and Aleppo governorates after al-Qaeda in Syria used those areas to attack the YPG. The Kurdish groups and their allies' goal was also to capture Kurdish areas from the mainly Arab Islamist rebels, and strengthen the autonomy of the region of Rojava. The Syrian Democratic Forces would go on to take substantial territory from Islamist groups, in particular the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, provoking a strong reaction from Turkey, ruled by the Islamist Justice and Development Party.
context_section_description: During the summer of 2015, Turkey began bombing YPG and PKK positions in Syria and Iraq.
  On 13 February 2016, Turkey began shelling the Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria.
caption: Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army during the Turkish military operation in Afrin in January 2018
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