Media: Türkiye scores strategic win as PKK/YPG influence crumbles in Syria Photo/Video

Ankara's long-standing objective of clearing the PKK/YPG presence east of the Euphrates reaches a key milestone as military operations continue in coordination with Damascus.

The so-called “Terroristan” project led by the PKK/YPG in northern Syria appears to have collapsed, with the remnants of the group driven out from the Halep-Sheikh Maqsoud and Set Tishrin line, as well as other key areas east of the Euphrates River, Caliber.Az reports citing Тurkiye.

The latest developments mark a significant shift in control, with Türkiye and the Syrian National Army (SNA) pressing forward with joint operations in the Tel Rifaat and Manbij regions.

As part of this new phase, forces loyal to the Syrian government have entered the Tishrin Dam area. In a noteworthy development, command of the northern sector—including the Aleppo and Idlib provinces—has been transferred to Turkmen commander Fehim İsa, leader of the Sultan Murad Division. He has also been appointed Deputy Minister of Defence for Syria, a move hailed as politically and militarily symbolic.

Meanwhile, YPG commander Ferhat Abdi Şahin (also known as Mazloum Abdi) announced that he has requested Damascus to hand over administrative control of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor as well. While engaging in negotiations with the Assad regime, Şahin reiterated his organisation’s commitment to a federalist structure, despite the December 8th uprising having upended previous plans for ‘autonomous’ elections.

Speaking to local media, veteran Turkmen commander Mahmut Hacıhasan said that the YPG will soon be forced to withdraw from Karakozak—an area of symbolic importance to Türkiye, as the original resting place of Suleyman Shah, a revered Turkish historical figure. He emphasised that the removal of PKK/YPG elements from Set Tishrin will significantly hinder their ability to move across the Karakozak Bridge towards the Shah’s tomb.

“The appointment of a Turkmen to lead the Northern Command is not only militarily significant but also sends a strong political message against separatism,” Hacıhasan said. He underlined that the region had been divided into six military zones under the new administrative framework. “What we are seeing is the dismantling of the YPG’s infrastructure, piece by piece.”

According to SNA sources, preparations are under way in Damascus for the group’s full withdrawal from Tabqa, rural Raqqa, parts of Deir ez-Zor, and potentially even Hasakah. Türkiye's long-standing policy goal of clearing terrorist elements from east of the Euphrates—voiced consistently for over a decade—has now been partially realised. Officials suggest that similar efforts will soon target the western banks of the river.

Turkmen communities, who were among the earliest and most steadfast supporters of the Syrian revolution, have reportedly welcomed the recent changes. With Halep and Idlib both situated near the Turkish border and having suffered under YPG control, the recent shifts have reinvigorated hopes for a unified Syrian state under one flag and government.

Hacıhasan also warned of what he described as “manipulations involving Daesh,” claiming that PKK/YPG elements, with Western backing, were using the presence of the terror group to justify their continued control. “The detention centres and Daesh camps must be taken out of their hands immediately,” he said, also calling for the clearing of the desert region between Homs and Deir ez-Zor.

Despite having lost significant international support—particularly from the United States—the PKK/YPG continues to receive political encouragement from France and Israel. The group is reportedly employing stalling tactics in ongoing negotiations over the handover of weapons, oil fields, border control, public institutions, and internal security responsibilities.

Officials close to the Turkish and Syrian sides believe that a forthcoming military security and strategic cooperation agreement between Ankara and Damascus could mark a turning point in the future of northern Syria.

By Aghakazim Guliyev