Democratic Union Party (PYD)

The Democratic Union Party (PYD) is a Kurdish political and militant organization active mainly in northeastern Syria, particularly in the Kurdish-majority regions known as Rojava. It advocates for Kurdish autonomy, political decentralization, and social equality, promoting democratic and feminist principles. The PYD has close ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey and has played a key role in fighting against ISIS with the support of international coalitions. While it operates as a political party and militia, its efforts focus on establishing self-governance, ethnic inclusivity, and regional stability in a complex and often tense geopolitical context.