Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), also called Rojava, is a self-governing area in northeastern Syria that is not officially recognized.It includes separate areas called cantons in Afrin, Jazira, Euphrates, Raqqa, Tabqa, Manbij, and Deir Ez-Zor. The region got self-rule in 2012 during the ongoing Rojava conflict and the larger Syrian civil war. Its main military force, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has been involved in the war.

The region is not officially recognized as autonomous by the government of Syria or other governments, except for the Catalan Parliament. It has widespread support for its democratic, sustainable, equal, and feminist laws. Northeastern Syria is home to diverse ethnic groups including Kurdish, Arab, and Assyrian populations, as well as smaller communities of Turkmen, Armenians, Circassians, and Yazidis.

Since 2016, Turkish and Turkish-backed forces have taken control of parts of northern Syria through military operations against the SDF. AANES and its SDF have said they will protect all areas under their control from any attacks.

 Geography 
The region is located west of the Tigris, east of the Euphrates, and south of the Turkish border. It borders Iraq to the southeast and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region to the northeast. The area is mostly flat with some low hills and a few mountains, including Mount Abdulaziz and part of the Sinjar Mountain Range.

It includes parts of the al-Hasakah, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Aleppo governorates in Syria.

 References 
*
Category:Syria