Kurdish women fighters seek military role in new Syria
Former YPJ fighters are negotiating with Syria’s new authorities as government restructures country’s security institutions
QAMISHLI, Syria (MNTV) — Kurdish women fighters who became internationally known for their role in defeating Islamic State militants are seeking to preserve an organized combat role as Syria’s new authorities reshape the country’s military and security forces.
The Women’s Protection Units, known as the YPJ, fought alongside the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during Syria’s civil war and played a major role in campaigns that drove Islamic State from large areas of northern and eastern Syria.
The all-female force gained international recognition for its participation in battles against the militant group, becoming a prominent symbol of Kurdish women’s military participation.
Their future, however, has become uncertain following the overthrow of former President Bashar Assad in late 2024 and the establishment of a new government led by Islamist former rebels.
The new authorities have been working to bring armed groups that previously operated with varying degrees of autonomy under state control.
The Syrian Democratic Forces was formally dissolved last week. Its commander, Mazloum Abdi, was appointed as an adviser to President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, while other SDF members joined the Defense Ministry.
The YPJ has not secured a similar arrangement. According to local news sources, its commander, Nowruz Ahmed, said meetings with Al-Sharaa in Damascus last week made clear that the government did not intend to incorporate the women fighters into the national military.
Ahmed said the YPJ had proposed joining the army as a formally organized independent brigade or battalion, rather than having its members dispersed into separate units.
She said the proposal was rejected.
The YPJ is now holding discussions with Syria’s Interior Ministry to explore whether its members can retain an organized security or combat role through another arrangement.
The Interior Ministry already includes female personnel in its tourism police, and officials have indicated that security units will operate across the country rather than being restricted to particular regions.
The negotiations are taking place against a backdrop of continued Kurdish distrust toward Syria’s new leadership.
Many Kurds remain concerned about the government’s treatment of minorities, including violence attributed to government-linked forces in 2025. They also point to Al-Sharaa’s previous leadership of the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda before he broke with the militant organization.
For YPJ members, the issue extends beyond military employment. The force is closely associated with political and social changes that expanded the role of Kurdish women during Syria’s conflict.
Young fighters say they want those gains reflected in the institutions of the new Syrian state.
Goksu Ciyager, a 20-year-old YPJ fighter, said women had developed their own capacity to defend themselves and should not be expected to depend on male-dominated institutions for protection.
Penaber Baran, a 31-year-old YPJ commander, said Syria’s constitution should explicitly recognize a role for the women’s force.
The outcome of the negotiations could therefore determine not only the future of the YPJ as a military organization but also how women who fought in Syria’s long war are represented in the country’s emerging security structure.
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