U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper met with YPG leader Ferhat Abdi Şahin in northeastern Syria on Thursday, reaffirming Washington's commitment to the terrorist group.
The meeting, which also included discussions with Iraqi Kurdish leaders, underscores the United States' ongoing support for the YPG amid Türkiye’s demands for the group to abide by a March deal and integrate into the new Syrian army.
Adm. Cooper emphasized the U.S. partnership with the YPG and managing Daesh detainee facilities.
Şahin reiterated the YPG’s commitment to the March 10 agreement with the Syrian government, under which the group pledged to recognize Damascus’ sovereignty and transfer control of airports, oil fields and border crossings. However, the agreement leaves unresolved how YPG forces will be integrated into the Syrian army, a major sticking point as Damascus demands individual entry while the YPG seeks bloc integration.
The YPG has also continued to push for a decentralized Syria and symbolic changes, including removing “Arab” from the country’s official name. In recent interviews, Şahin argued that Syria’s multiethnic reality is not reflected by the current “Syrian Arab Republic” title and called for autonomy in YPG-occupied northern regions. Ankara views these demands as part of a broader effort to entrench separatist control in northern Syria.
Türkiye has expressed serious concerns over the YPG’s autonomy and the implementation of the March 10 agreement. A senior Turkish defense official warned Thursday that failure to disarm and integrate the YPG into the Syrian army would threaten Syria’s territorial integrity and Türkiye’s national security.
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.
The U.S. support for the YPG has been a point of friction with Türkiye. With U.S. support under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the YPG seized large swaths of northern and eastern Syria, holding key oil, water and agricultural resources. While Turkish cross-border operations have curtailed some of the group’s territorial control, it remains entrenched in several areas, complicating Ankara’s security concerns.
