2026-04-02T12:42:19+00:00

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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.