q ▁and ▁the ▁Lev ant ▁( IS IL ), ▁the ▁Turkish - back ed ▁Free ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁( TF SA ), ▁al - Q a eda ▁affili ates , ▁Turkey ▁and ▁their ▁al lies . ▁The ▁S DF ▁has ▁focused ▁primarily ▁on ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁State , ▁successfully ▁driving ▁them ▁from ▁important ▁strateg ic ▁areas , ▁such ▁as ▁Al - H aw l , ▁Sh add adi , ▁T ish rin ▁Dam , ▁Man bij , ▁al - Tab q ah , ▁Tab qa ▁Dam , ▁Ba ath ▁Dam , ▁and ▁I SI L ' s ▁former ▁capital ▁of ▁Ra qq a . ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁S DF ▁announced ▁the ▁total ▁territorial ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁in ▁Sy ria , ▁with ▁the ▁S DF ▁taking ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁strong hold ▁in ▁Bag h uz . ▁ ▁Est ab lish ment ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁ ▁Multiple ▁cred ible ▁sources ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁Kur dist an ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ▁( PK K ) ▁is ▁the ▁driving ▁force ▁behind ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Kur d ish ▁People ' s ▁Prote ction ▁Units ▁( Y PG ) ▁and ▁the ▁Y PG - led ▁Sy rian ▁Democratic ▁Forces ▁( S DF ). ▁ ▁Foundation ▁ ▁The ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁S DF ▁was ▁announced ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁during ▁a ▁press ▁conference ▁in ▁al - Has ak ah . ▁The ▁al liance ▁built ▁on ▁long standing ▁previous ▁co operation ▁between ▁the ▁found ing