Ankara, Damascus step up coordination as PKK/YPG dig in before arms deadline

As the Syrian government's 10-day disarmament deadline nears its end, the Kurdish-led PKK/YPG is reportedly reinforcing its positions instead of complying, deploying arms, tanks, and drone systems across northern Syria.

Intelligence sources indicate the movement of militants from Qandil and the construction of new military infrastructure, raising concerns in both Ankara and Damascus, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

The Syrian Ministry of Defence’s ultimatum for the handover of weapons is set to expire on May 27. As the deadline approaches, military activity has intensified along key flashpoints. Both the Turkish Armed Forces and the Syrian military units have been placed on high alert.

Sources on the ground report that the YPG has been sending arms, ammunition, tanks, and kamikaze drones to Raqqah, Ayn Issa, the Deir ez-Zor countryside, and the Manbij–Dayr Hafir–Maskanah corridor. In parallel, more than 100 militants have reportedly crossed from Qandil into Syria. At the same time, a 50-vehicle convoy allegedly linked to ISIS entered the PKK/YPG-held town of al-Malikiyah via the Iraqi border area of al-Qahtaniyah.

The situation is further complicated by the involvement of other factions, including the Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, remnants of Assad loyalist forces, and Druze separatists. In response to increasing tensions, civil resistance is reportedly mounting in YPG-held areas, with residents preparing for a general strike on May 26 in protest against PKK/YPG provocations and in support of Damascus.

A senior Syrian security official told this reporter that despite repeated offers of a peaceful resolution, the PKK/YPG leadership has engaged in stalling tactics while simultaneously entrenching their presence. “They have established nine new command centres and created special training camps for separatist Druze and Alawite factions in Hasakah. Tunnels are being dug and mountain ranges converted into arms depots,” the official said.

According to the same source, explosive materials have been moved to critical dam areas, including Tishrin, Tabqa, and Mansoura, potentially to be used as leverage. “They may use dam detonations as a bargaining chip,” the source warned, adding that hospitals and schools in rural Raqqah, Hasakah, and Deir ez-Zor have reportedly been converted into weapons storage sites and tunnel access points.

“We are committed to preserving a unified and strong Syria through dialogue, not conflict,” the official said. “However, the PKK/YPG has a different agenda. Necessary precautions have been taken, and we will not allow any plans to partition our country.”

In Ankara, Turkish authorities are closely monitoring the developments. A Turkish security official stated that tensions have escalated significantly and linked recent military build-up to ongoing domestic discussions about a post-terrorism political landscape in Türkiye.

“There has been a notable influx of foreign intelligence agents into the PKK/YPG-controlled territories, directing the group’s activities,” the official said. “As long as the Iraqi border remains open, this traffic will persist. The trajectory of Turkish and Syrian engagement with Washington will be critical for the region’s future.”

The official also noted that electronic jamming devices and kamikaze drones have been deployed at strategic points, and roads leading deeper into Syria have been sealed off. “It is becoming increasingly clear that a peaceful handover of arms and territory is unlikely, although we are aware of internal dissent within the organisation,” the source added.

In a parallel diplomatic move, Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın and General Alpay Altındağ, Director General of Defence and Security, led a delegation to Damascus for talks focused on security threats and possible resolutions. The Syrian Defence Ministry reportedly issued directives to compile a comprehensive inventory of all contact points in the conflict zones following the meeting.

Both sides are said to have reached a consensus on field coordination for various scenarios, signalling a deepening of tactical cooperation amid the rising threat posed by PKK/YPG entrenchment in the region.

By Aghakazim Guliyev