Rojava or Western Kurdistan (Kurdish: Rojavaye Kurdistane) is a de facto autonomous region in northern and north-eastern Syria. Rojava consists of the three non-contiguous cantons of Afrin, Jazira and Kobani. Rojava is not officially recognized as autonomous by the government of Syria and as of 2015 was at war with Daesh, ISIS or the 'Islamic State'.

The YPG (Yekineyen Parastina Gel or 'People's Protections Units') are the armed wing of the Kurdish autonomous movement in Rojava