Kurdish group, YPG, accused of using water cuts as leverage in Syria

ALEPPO, Syria (MNTV) — The Kurdish-led YPG has been accused of weaponizing water supplies in Syria, after cutting off access to key sources during recent clashes in and around Aleppo, disrupting daily life for millions of civilians.

Although the group was pushed out of parts of Aleppo following days of fighting, analysts say it continues to pose a challenge to Syria’s territorial unity due to its control over vast areas east of the Euphrates River, including strategic water and energy infrastructure.

Syrian officials said water supplies were cut on January 10 between two areas in eastern Aleppo, causing widespread disruption to households and essential services across the city. Public pressure later forced a partial restoration of supplies.

According to the Aleppo water authority, around 80 percent of the city’s water is sourced from the al-Babiri station, with the remainder supplied by facilities in Khafsah — all located in areas controlled by the YPG. 

Local authorities have stressed the need to regain control of these installations and rehabilitate them to secure long-term water access.

Security analysts described the shutdown as a deliberate tactic. Experts warned that cutting water to civilians constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and said the move affected more than two million people across Aleppo province.

The YPG controls several major dams along the Euphrates, including the Tishreen Dam east of Aleppo and the Tabqa and Baath dams near Raqqa. 

Control of these sites gives the group influence over both water distribution and electricity generation, strengthening its bargaining position in negotiations with Damascus.

The group had previously signed an agreement to integrate into Syria’s post-Assad national army, but recent clashes have cast doubt on the viability of that deal. 

Analysts say the loss of neighborhoods such as Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh has weakened the YPG’s position, even as it seeks leverage through infrastructure control.

The Syrian Army warned on Monday that the deployment of armed YPG units in eastern Aleppo marked a “dangerous escalation,” vowing a strong response to any further actions threatening civilian security or state authority.

Political figures with ties to Syria’s Kurdish community said military operations could expand beyond Aleppo if the group continues to resist dialogue and integration. They argued that the government’s actions were driven by stalled negotiations and the YPG’s reluctance to engage politically.

Observers noted that while Kurds were active participants in the early stages of the Syrian uprising, political and civil activity in YPG-held areas has since been tightly restricted, with critics facing pressure, detention or exclusion.

Calls have grown for disputes to be resolved through negotiations rather than armed confrontation, with community leaders urging Kurdish youth not to be drawn into further conflict and emphasizing the need for reconciliation after years of war.

With the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024 marking a new phase in Syria’s political transition, analysts say the struggle over water and energy resources has emerged as a central test of whether the country can move toward stability and a unified state.