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Terrorists from the U.S.-backed YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, captured tens of members of Arab tribes supporting the central government in Damascus, local media reported.
YPG members launched simultaneous raids in five neighborhoods of al-Hasakah that they controlled late Saturday, and rounded up more than 50 civilians belonging to several tribes. The YPG claimed those people were linked to the terrorist group Daesh. The YPG enjoyed broad U.S. support under the pretext of a joint fight against Daesh.
Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that most of those detained by YPG have recently visited Damascus, implying that they were in touch with the central administration. The YPG has struck a deal with the transitional government in March for integration into the post-Assad army, but appears to be reneging on it as its leaders repeatedly call for a “decentralized Syria,” hoping to keep the so-called autonomy the YPG carved out in the northeast.
Media reports said terrorists also looted the raided houses and beat others not “arrested” in the raids.
A group of activists in al-Hasakah issued a statement condemning the raids and urged the immediate release of civilians held by YPG. The statement branded YPG’s actions as a blatant violation of human rights and underlined that the group’s actions seriously threatened social peace in Syria. The statement also called on Damascus to fulfill its responsibility to protect the civilians and warned that more pressure on civilians may trigger fresh social tensions in the region.
Since Syrian leader Bashar Assad was ousted in December 2024, the new interim government in Damascus has been working to restore stability across the country after nearly 25 years of authoritarian rule.
With U.S. support under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the YPG seized large swaths of northern and eastern Syria during the civil war, occupying key oil, water and agricultural resources. Turkish cross-border operations have since reduced their grip, but the group remains entrenched in several areas.
Under the March deal, the YPG would merge with the new Syrian national army. The agreement, which is expected to be implemented by the end of the year, would also bring all border crossings with Iraq and Türkiye, as well as airports and oil fields in the northeast, under the central government’s control. Detention centers housing thousands of Daesh members, now guarded by the YPG, would also come under government control.
However, the YPG’s insistence on entering the army as one bloc has stalled the process, and there have been scattered outbreaks of violence. The group has also been making statements calling for autonomy and thus endangering the territorial integrity of Syria.
Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the PKK terrorist group, which recently announced its dissolution and began a disarmament process that will end 40 years of bloodshed in Türkiye. The YPG insists it is not a party to the disarmament.
Türkiye, which developed cordial ties with the transitional government, has pledged to continue supporting Syria’s political unity and territorial integrity, providing training and technical support upon request from Damascus to strengthen its fight against terrorist groups. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed that Türkiye “will not allow terrorists to drag Syria back into chaos and instability.”
Ankara is closely monitoring the integration of the YPG into the Syrian army. Turkish officials have said earlier that this development will be decisive for Syria’s long-term security architecture.
The YPG’s push for decentralization and symbolic changes, such as altering the country’s name, is widely seen by Türkiye as part of a broader effort to entrench separatist control in Syria’s north.
