Qamishli, Syria - Sept 2 - Women from the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units, known by the acronym YPJ, are seeking to secure a formal, organised role within Syria’s reshaped security architecture after a political overhaul left their future uncertain. The all-female units, which fought alongside the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against Islamic State across northern and eastern Syria, have become one of the conflict’s most recognisable forces. Now they face a new phase of negotiation with Damascus.
The YPJ’s prospects shifted sharply after the downfall of former president Bashar al-Assad in late 2024 and the rise of a new government led by Islamist rebels. In recent weeks the new authorities have moved to bring formerly autonomous armed groups under state control. Last week the SDF was formally dissolved; its commander, Mazloum Abdi, was appointed as an adviser to President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while other SDF members were absorbed into the defence ministry.
But the newly reconfigured defence ministry contains no women, and YPJ commander Nowruz Ahmed says she was told during meetings with President Sharaa in Damascus that her fighters do not have a place in the military. "We were aiming to join the army, because our forces have experience and expertise that would enable them to protect themselves in an organised way in the form of an independent brigade or battalion," she said during an interview at a military base in Qamishli. "Our main condition was that this force must be organised, must not be deployed to any place, and must not be in small groups. They rejected this proposal."
Searching for alternatives
Following that rejection, the YPJ began talks with Syria’s interior ministry as it looks for a pathway to maintain an organised, female-led fighting force. Those discussions come as the new administration reorganises security institutions following the end of a war that lasted more than a decade. The interior ministry already includes female personnel in a tourism police unit, and earlier this year central authorities reportedly suggested YPJ fighters could be transferred to that unit. Sources briefed on those deliberations said the YPJ rejected the idea; a YPJ spokesperson denied such an offer had been made.
Nowruz Ahmed told Reuters the YPJ instead proposed integration into the interior ministry’s special operations forces, a structure more aligned with the YPJ’s combat capabilities and one that could boost female representation within otherwise male-dominated units. She said the YPJ comprises more than 1,500 fighters and asked whether all of them would be merged into a state force. Ahmed said she expects a response "in the coming days."
Syria’s defence and interior ministries did not immediately respond to questions about the discussions. In a statement to Kurdish outlet Rudaw, interior ministry spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba said YPJ fighters would be welcomed into the ministry’s ranks but offered no details on what their roles would look like. Baba added that any units would be deployed across Syria rather than being confined to a single geographic zone.
Trust and symbolism
The negotiations are unfolding amid widespread Kurdish mistrust of Syria’s new leadership. Many Kurds cite mass violence by government-linked forces against minorities in 2025 and concern about President Sharaa’s past role as head of Al Qaeda’s Syrian branch before he severed ties with the militant group. These concerns complicate talks over how YPJ forces can be integrated without losing the autonomy and protections the women fighters believe are essential.
For many Kurdish women, the YPJ represents more than a military formation: it is a symbol of political and social gains gained over the course of the conflict. "They always see women as weak. We as women don’t draw our strength from men, nor do we draw our strength from the current state," said 20-year-old YPJ fighter Goksu Ciyager. "Of course, we want to have a special case and we insist on this."
Penaber Baran, a 31-year-old YPJ unit commander, argued that Syria’s constitution should explicitly recognise a role for the force. "Until today, we have never waited for anyone to defend us," she said. "We as women defended ourselves."
Unresolved questions and next steps
Key questions remain unresolved: whether the YPJ will be allowed to operate as a distinct brigade or battalion, whether all fighters will be merged into state forces, what their deployment parameters would be, and how female representation will be sustained within Syria’s security institutions. Interior ministry comments about welcoming YPJ fighters have not clarified these points.
The outcome of the talks will determine whether the YPJ can preserve an organised, recognisably female combat structure within state institutions or whether its fighters will be dispersed across security forces in ways that could dilute their independent status. With responses from Damascus still pending, YPJ leaders say they will continue to press for a solution that maintains the force's organisation and protects female fighters’ rights and roles.
Summary
The YPJ, an all-female Kurdish fighting force that played a prominent role alongside the U.S.-backed SDF against Islamic State, is negotiating with Syria’s new authorities about joining state security structures after the SDF was dissolved. YPJ leaders say a proposal to join the army as an independent brigade or battalion was rejected and are pursuing options with the interior ministry, which has given mixed signals about roles and deployments. Kurdish distrust of the new government and unresolved questions about deployment and autonomy frame the talks.
Key points
- The SDF has been formally dissolved and some members have been absorbed into the defence ministry while its commander, Mazloum Abdi, was named an adviser to President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
- The YPJ proposed joining the army as an independent brigade or battalion but were told there was no place for them in the military; they are now in discussions with the interior ministry about joining special operations forces.
- Interior ministry statements welcome YPJ fighters into its ranks but have not clarified roles, and the ministry has indicated potential nationwide deployment.
Risks and uncertainties
- Unclear terms of integration - Without specific guarantees, YPJ fighters risk being dispersed into units that may not preserve their autonomy or collective identity; this affects security sector composition and minority representation.
- Kurdish mistrust of the new government - Lingering distrust, driven by reported mass violence in 2025 and concerns about leadership backgrounds, could hamper recruitment, cooperation, and stability in Kurdish-majority areas, with implications for regional security.
- Deployment scope - Interior ministry comments that units would be deployed across Syria raise uncertainty over where YPJ fighters might serve, impacting local security dynamics and the political calculus for Kurdish communities.