Syria advances security strategy with PKK/YPG withdrawal from key Aleppo areas

A new agreement has been reached between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including the PKK/YPG, to facilitate the withdrawal of the Kurdish militant group from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo.

The deal aims to consolidate security control in these areas under the Syrian government’s oversight, Caliber.Az reports per Turkish media.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Abdul Ghani, who represented the Syrian government in negotiations with the PKK/YPG, outlined the key points of the agreement.

"All military forces will withdraw to northeastern Syria," he stated. "Specific arrangements will be made by central committees and the Defence Ministry regarding the SDF's military status. There will be no military presence in these two neighbourhoods. Necessary mechanisms will be established, and the areas will be demilitarised."

The deal also includes provisions for the restructuring of the PKK/YPG's so-called "internal security forces" in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. Abdul Ghani confirmed that these security forces will be unified under a single structure and placed under the control of Syria's Interior Ministry. This step is intended to centralize authority and better manage the security situation in the affected neighbourhoods.

In addition to the security arrangements, Abdul Ghani pointed out that steps would soon be taken to release detainees held in connection with the conflict. "Currently, statistics are being compiled. Everyone arrested after the (December 8, 2024) liberation will be released," he said. "This agreement is specific to Aleppo province, but new deals will be made through the central committee to empty all prisons."

The agreement also addresses the physical security infrastructure in the neighbourhoods, with plans to remove barricades and set up new checkpoints to ensure stability. Abdul Ghani highlighted that committees would be formed to implement these security measures and establish a more structured approach to governance and law enforcement.

This agreement marks a crucial step in the ongoing efforts by the Syrian government to regain control over areas that were previously held by Kurdish militant groups and to centralize security operations within the country's northern regions. 

By Vafa Guliyeva