According to Kurdistan Press, more than seven months have passed since the signing of the January 29 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the interim government in Syria. Despite some steps being taken in the areas of security, military, administrative and return of refugees, parts of this agreement have still not been implemented.

One of the disputed issues is the position of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) in the future military structure of Syria.The Syrian interim government has not yet agreed to maintain this force as an independent structure in the new army. This issue has been met with a reaction from a number of women, especially Kurdish women in northern and eastern Syria.

In this context, Militan Afrin, a YPJ commander, explained the process of negotiations and the force's view on military integration in an interview with Havar News Agency.

The agreement does not mean the loss of the identities of the parties

Militan Afrin said that after years of war, the talks have begun with the aim of reaching a lasting agreement and creating an inclusive structure in Syria.

He added: "The agreement should not mean that one side dissolves into the structure of the other or loses its authority and position. The agreement becomes meaningful when the will, position and language of the different groups are officially and legally recognized.»

Criticism of foreign interventions

The YPJ commander, referring to the role of regional and international actors in the developments in Syria, stated that the multiplicity of influential parties has made it difficult to advance the agreement.

He added: “The current process is not based solely on domestic decisions in Syria and is influenced by various powers. These interventions have made it more complicated to reach an agreement that takes into account the interests of all Syrians.”

The role of the YPJ in the fight against ISIS

In another part of his speech, the Afrin militant referred to the role of the YPJ in the fight against ISIS and said that the performance of this force during that period highlighted its position inside and outside Syria.

He added: “ISIS was a widespread and organized threat. The presence and experience of the YPJ forces in confronting this group showed that women can play a direct role in defense and security structures. For this reason, the YPJ was also recognized internationally.»

Disagreement over independent YPJ structure

The YPJ commander stated that the Syrian interim government’s view on integrating women’s forces does not pay enough attention to maintaining an independent structure for them.

He added: “The proposal is to integrate women individually into different institutions. Our concern is that in such a case, the organizational identity and experience that has been formed over the years will be lost. We want to maintain the place of women in the future military structure.”

He also emphasized that from the YPJ’s perspective, abandoning this structure is not just an administrative or military change, but could also affect the level of women’s participation in future Syrian structures.

Support from a part of society for the YPJ

Referring to the rallies and marches held in support of the YPJ, the Afrin militant said that a part of the society in northern and eastern Syria, especially women, want the force to be recognized.He said: “For many people in the region, the YPJ has been part of the experience of years of war and defending their regions. For this reason, they want the position of this force not to be ignored in future negotiations.”

He also stated that opposing the recognition of the YPJ could affect the level of acceptance of the interim government among some residents of northern and eastern Syria.

Emphasizing cooperation among Syrian women

The YPJ commander finally emphasized the need to expand cooperation among women from different groups in Syria.

He noted that Kurdish, Arab, Alawite, Druze and other Syrian groups can cooperate more to protect their rights and participate in the future political and social structure of the country.

Militant Afrin added that the goal of this cooperation is to defend the rights that women have gained in recent years and to ensure their presence in the future structures of Syria.