The U.S.-backed YPG terrorist group announced Tuesday that its so-called autonomous administration and all its military and civilian structures have been dissolved.
Ferhat Abdi Şahin, one of the group's ringleaders, made the announcement to reporters at the People's Palace in the Syrian capital.
"Following the agreement reached with President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and upon completion of the process of integrating our forces into the brigades of the Syrian army, we announce today, with a great sense of responsibility, that we are dissolving ourselves as an independent military force," said Şahin.
The YPG was established in 2015 with U.S. backing as the Syrian branch of the PKK terrorist group. Washington partnered with the group in its campaign against Daesh despite longstanding objections from NATO ally Türkiye over its ties to the PKK.
The PKK, which has waged a decades-long campaign against Türkiye, is designated a terrorist group by Türkiye, the U.S. and the European Union.
The group became Washington’s principal partner on the ground against Daesh and eventually gained control of large parts of northern and northeastern Syria, including areas containing much of the country’s oil resources.
The Syrian administration and the YPG terror group reached a new agreement Jan. 29 that provided for a cease-fire and the group’s gradual integration into state institutions.
“Circumstances have changed today, and the country has entered a new phase characterized by peace and participation,” Şahin said.
The political and military landscape shifted dramatically following the fall of ousted longtime ruler Bashar Assad in late 2024 and the establishment of new authorities in Damascus under the leadership of al-Sharaa.
Clashes between government forces and the YPG in January resulted in Damascus regaining significant territory, including areas in Raqqa and Deir el-Zour. The two sides subsequently reached an agreement to integrate military, security and civilian institutions in the northeast into state structures.
Al-Sharaa also met on Tuesday with Şahin to discuss steps for its integration into state institutions.
The meeting addressed "a number of issues related to integration within Syrian state institutions and the steps for the next phase to strengthen the state's presence and support security and stability," Şahin added.
Last month, Syrian officials said the country had integrated about 9,000 former members of the YPG forces into its national security institutions as part of a broader effort to unify the country’s armed forces, while appointing a former senior YPG official as a deputy defense minister.
The integration marked one of the most significant steps in the implementation of an agreement between Damascus and the YPG aimed at dissolving the terrorist group into Syria’s state institutions.
Roughly 5,000 former YPG fighters have joined the Syrian Defense Ministry, while another 4,000 have been incorporated into the Interior Ministry, officials said. Non-Syrian foreign fighters previously affiliated with the YPG have been removed from the country as part of the restructuring process.
Syrian authorities describe the process as a gradual, reciprocal approach sometimes referred to as a "zipper model," under which security, administrative and political measures advance simultaneously to build confidence between the two sides.
Ankara has repeatedly maintained that eliminating parallel armed structures and preserving Syria’s territorial integrity are essential for lasting stability in the neighboring country.
The YPG’s dissolution represents a significant step in Damascus’ efforts to restore central authority throughout Syria after more than a decade of fragmentation and conflict.
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik on Wednesday welcomed the dissolution of the terrorist group, saying the move marked an important threshold in strengthening Syria’s internal unity and reaffirming Ankara’s support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We have always supported the protection of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Çelik emphasized in a statement on social media. “Syria must move toward the future as one and whole.”
Çelik said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had waged a major struggle to protect Syrians from terrorism and what he described as “imperialist attacks” during some of the most difficult periods of the Syrian conflict.
“Years and history are witnesses to this noble struggle,” he said.
Çelik said the dissolution of the YPG represented a significant development for Syria’s internal cohesion.
He also praised steps taken by the administration of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa toward what he described as inclusive governance, saying they were helping the country move beyond years of conflict and toward a more stable future.
Çelik linked developments in Syria to Ankara’s broader “terror-free Türkiye” and “terror-free region” objectives, saying the initiatives represented a determination to thwart attempts by outside actors to divide and exploit Türkiye’s neighboring region for their own interests.
He said the policy also offered prospects for a more stable future for Kurdish communities across the region.
Çelik added that Türkiye would continue to support steps aimed at strengthening the stability, security and prosperity of Syria and neighboring countries as part of what he called Erdoğan’s “politics of brotherhood.”
