The Wrath of Olives (Kurdish: Xezeba Zeytûnê, Arabic: غضب الزيتون, romanized: Ghadab al-Zaytun) operations room is an insurgent group that is active in Turkish-controlled areas of northern Syria.[3]
| Wrath of Olives | |
|---|---|
 Official logo of the operations room. | |
| Foundation | 2018 |
| Motives | End of the Turkish occupation of northern Syria |
| Active regions | Afrin District (former Afrin Canton), Syria |
| Major actions | Bombings,[1] assassinations,[2][3] kidnappings, guerrilla warfare[1] |
| Status | Active |
History
editThe group claims to have been founded following the Turkish invasion of Afrin, backed by an assortment of rebel groups. The group has been active since mid summer, 2018, and has carried out dozens of assassinations and bombings against Turkish-backed rebel forces.[4][5] As the group has vowed to kill not just Turkish soldiers and allied Syrian militants, but all who cooperate with the pro-Turkish forces, it and another anti-Turkish insurgent faction (the "Afrin Falcons") have been described as "death squads". Middle East security analyst Nicholas A. Heras has argued that the Wrath of Olives operations room and the Afrin Falcons were formed as front organizations of the YPG, as the latter "is under pressure from the United States to disassociate itself from the most controversial assassinations in Afrin."[2] Similarly, the pro-Syrian government al-Masdar News described the group as "YPG sleeper cell".[6]
The Wrath of Olives operations room is among the most active insurgent groups in Afrin, along with the YPG and the Afrin Liberation Forces.[7]
Tactics
editThe group primarily wages a guerrilla campaign against the Turkish-backed forces in the countryside, using ambushes and bombings,[6][1] often striking in the night.[7] Unlike the YPG forces in Afrin, the Wrath of Olives operations room also carries out kidnappings, executions, and assassinations against Turkish-backed militants and civilians who collaborate with Turkish forces.[2][3][7] For example, the group reportedly attempted several times to kill Hasan Şindi, a member of the Turkish-backed Afrin Council until he fled for Europe in August 2018.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Wladimir van Wilgenburg (1 October 2018). ""Olive Wrath" announces the liquidation of 3 gunmen in Afrin". Adar Press. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ a b c Wladimir van Wilgenburg (22 August 2018). "YPG rejects involvement in attacks by mysterious groups in Afrin". Kurdistan 24. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d Wladimir van Wilgenburg (28 June 2018). "Mysterious armed group warns Afrin residents of 'new battle'". Kurdistan 24. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ "Wrath of the Olive hits Fatih Sultan Mehmet gang", Firat News Agency
- ^ "Wrath of Olives conducted special op against gang commander", Hawar News Agency
- ^ a b "YPG carry out powerful ambush against Turkish-backed rebels in Afrin (video)". al-Masdar News. 2 October 2018. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ a b c Amberin Zaman (4 March 2019). "Turkey faces growing Kurdish insurgency in Syria's Afrin". al-Monitor. Retrieved 6 March 2019.