Media: PKK dissolves as Kurdish forces face turning point in Syria’s northeast

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) decision to disband and end its nearly four-decade-long armed insurgency against Türkiye marks a significant shift in the region’s security dynamics. This move raises questions about the future of its affiliated groups in Syria, including the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Democratic Union Party (PYD), and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), as noted by Syrian Levant24.

The organisation’s leadership had announced the cessation of its structural operations and armed campaign following a party conference in northern Iraq, Caliber.Az reports.

The move came in response to a public appeal by its imprisoned founder, Abdullah Öcalan. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye welcomed the decision as a “very important step”, but added that his government would “closely monitor” its implementation.

A crossroads for northeast Syria

In Syria, where groups affiliated with the PKK control a substantial part of the northeast, the disbandment has immediate implications. SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi welcomed the move, describing it as a “new phase of politics and peace”. In a statement posted on social media, he added: “We are confident that this step will pave the way for significant progress in the region.”

Abdi had previously expressed willingness to withdraw fighters, many of whom are not Syrian, from the area if tensions with Türkiye de-escalated. In March, he signed an agreement with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara’, aiming to integrate the SDF into Syria’s armed forces. However, the implementation of this deal has been slow due to disagreements over decentralisation and demands for local autonomy, which Damascus has so far rejected.

Damascus pushes for reintegration, warns against separatism

Syrian Foreign Minister As’ad al-Shaybani, speaking in Ankara on 12 April alongside his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, stated that the Syrian government expects a “genuine will” from the SDF to resume the functioning of state institutions in the country’s northeast. “We expect the other side to be sincere and to allow citizens to return to their areas,” he said.

The Syrian presidency echoed similar concerns, stressing that any reform must not result in the creation of separate political entities under the guise of federalism or self-rule. A statement warned that monopolising national resources or blocking access to state services would “undermine national unity and sovereignty”.

Regional implications and future challenges

Analysts expect that the PKK’s disbandment will prompt a reassessment of US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria, many of which have organisational and ideological ties to the group. Shalal Kaddo of the Kurdish Centrist Party in Syria told Al-Araby al-Jadeed that the development “removes many of the pretexts” used by opponents of Kurdish political participation and could accelerate reconciliation with Damascus.

Political analyst Bassam Suleiman noted growing urgency among Syrian Kurds to reach a political settlement, as the US signals a gradual withdrawal. “The Kurds understand that the American presence won’t last forever,” he said, warning that longstanding internal tensions within the SDF — between Syrian and foreign elements — may intensify. The main challenge now lies in how entities such as the SDF and PYD can transition from armed struggle to playing a political role within the Syrian state.

By Aghakazim Guliyev