Syria’s YPJ, Damascus discuss integration into army

Shafaq News- Qamishli

The General Command of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) and Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra held talks on mechanisms for integrating its forces into the Ministry of Defense and the Syrian army, the group said in on Thursday.

In a statement, the YPJ said the meeting came at its request and focused on implementing the ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including legal and organizational aspects of the integration process and the role of women in the new army.

“The Minister expressed flexibility and willingness to continue dialogue regarding practical frameworks that would enable women’s participation within the military institution,” the group pointed out.

Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including the YPJ, reached a comprehensive ceasefire on January 30, 2026, ending weeks of escalation in northeastern Syria. The agreement halts hostilities, integrates SDF units into the Syrian army, transfers security in Hasakah and Qamishli to state authorities, incorporates Autonomous Administration institutions into the government, affirms Kurdish civil rights, and enables the return of displaced residents.

Read more: Syria’s calm: An end to threat or start of a complex security phase?

About Women’s Protection Units

Though no official figures have been disclosed, media reports have suggested that around 30% of fighters within the People’s Protection Units are women serving in the Women’s Protection Units, an all-female force founded in 2013 with the stated aim of challenging traditional gender roles, under the slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (“Women, Life, Freedom”). However, the Syrian Democratic Forces has classified its current figures, with some estimates placing total SDF strength at around 50,000 fighters and suggesting women may account for closer to 20% of that number.

Damascus has previously ruled out integrating the YPJ as a unified formation into the Syrian Arab Army due to the absence of female combat units in its structure, instead indicating that members could join the Interior Ministry individually, particularly in internal security roles. According to Syrian official figures, the number of YPJ fighters has declined from about 20,000 at the peak of SDF control to roughly 7,000, primarily in Kurdish-majority areas such as Qamishli and al-Hasakah.