[3] The brigade was founded in December 2016, with its first commander being the Italian-Moroccan, Karim Franceschi, known by his nom de guerre, Marcello.

Initially, the unit operated as a semi-autonomous platoon under brigade commander Heval Taufik, who appointed Karim Franceschi as its leader.

His persistent lobbying with the YPG command, bolstered by his reputation as a competent warrior who had participated in the Siege of Kobanê, was instrumental in the creation of the International Battalion.

Franceschi’s experience and fluency in multiple languages made him a key figure in organizing Western volunteers from across Europe and the U.S., many of whom were anarchists, socialists, and communists joining the anti-ISIS effort in Syria.

In its initial statement, the unit outlined its principles and causes, emphasizing the unity between communists and anarchists in forming an anti-fascist front against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.