Self-Defense Forces (Kurdish: Hêzên Xweparastinê, abbreviated as HXP; Arabic: قوات الحماية الذاتية, romanized: Quwwāt al-ḥimāyati aḏ-ḏātiyyati, Classical Syriac: ܓܘܫܡܐ ܕܣܘܝܥܐ ܘܣܘܬܪܐ ܝܬܝܐ, romanized: Gushmo d'Suyo'o w'Sutoro Yothoyo) is a multi-ethnic territorial defense militia and the only conscripted armed force in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

An official of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria has stated that the self-defense duty "is not conscription" and that "it's a natural right to defend yourselves, if there is no protection, people will be eliminated and finished.

Some people attempt to escape the recruitment in different ways (for example, traveling abroad to Turkey and Iraq, not registering at the Centers for Self-Defense Duty).

The conscription has also been criticized and rejected by Kurdish National Council, the main opposition party in Northeastern Syria.

[10][11] But the introduction of the self-defense duty law and the opening of the Center didn't happen until June 4, 2016, in Kobane canton.

[13] Afrin's HXP forces fought against the Operation Olive Branch in early 2018, suffering heavy casualties in the process.

[14] The HXP founded the Military Discipline Units (Kurdish: Yekîneyên Disiplîna Leşkerî, Arabic: وحدات الانضباط العسكري, romanized: Waḥdāt al-Inḍibāṭi al-'Askariyyi, Classical Syriac: ܚܕܘܬܐ ܕܣܘܕܪܐ ܓܝܣܝܐ, romanized: Ḥdowotho d'Sudoro Gaysoyo)[15] in July 2015.