The Women's Protection Units, the all-female Kurdish militia that played a pivotal role in the fight against ISIS in northeastern Syria, is now scrambling to secure its future as the broader Syrian Democratic Forces coalition moves toward dissolution. The YPJ has fought for its right to maintain an independent combat identity rather than being absorbed into a restructured Syrian state security apparatus, a demand that reflects both ideological commitments to women's autonomy and pragmatic concerns about the group's survival. The move comes amid shifting alliances in Syria's post-Assad landscape, where Kurdish forces face pressure from Turkey, the Syrian government, and former Western backers to redefine their role. The outcome will be a bellwether for the future of Kurdish political and military autonomy in a country still grappling with the aftermath of civil war.
Following the SDF’s dissolution, the Kurdish all-women YPJ is seeking to preserve its combat role in Syria.
