Syrian president says ‘door remains open’ for YPG to integrate to state

Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa said “the state has not demanded the dismantling of YPG, but has instead called for integrating its forces within state institutions,” Syrian TV said.

According to excerpts from a televised interview aired on Wednesday by Al-Ikhbariya, Al Sharaa said “trust cannot be built overnight,” citing what he described as the terror group’s record during Syria’s uprising.

He said “the YPG did not confront the former government for over 14 years of conflict and maintained direct contacts with it.”

Al Sharaa said, “YPG advances during the liberation phase into areas including Deir ez-Zor and parts of Aleppo hindered the liberation process itself, not the former government.”

He said “all state proposals were presented with broad international awareness, including by the US, the UN, and key regional and European states.”

Al Sharaa said “the YPG chose not to take part in the national conference, government formation, or constitutional declaration,” despite not being barred from participation.

He noted that “the state granted the group nine months to build trust,” and emphasised that invitations were extended without intent to exclude it.

The president added that “the YPG failed to abide by the April 1, 2025 agreement calling for the withdrawal of YPG from Sheikh Maqsoud,” with a limited number of Interior Ministry security personnel remaining, alongside local residents, to manage security and services because of the area’s unique social makeup.

“The YPG announced at the time that the withdrawal had been completed,” he added.

About two months later, however, clashes resumed, and shelling began targeting nearby residential neighbourhoods, including Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zaid, areas home to Arabs, Kurds, and Christians, al Sharaa stressed.

He added that “shells landed in markets and civilian districts, directly undermining security across Aleppo.”

The continued violence has undercut efforts to promote Aleppo as an economic hub, given its industrial and agricultural base and its role as a key trade corridor, he added.

Al Sharaa also noted that “the state cannot attract global investment while shells are fired from a residential neighbourhood every few months,” emphasising that protecting Aleppo and ensuring its stability remain a national priority that cannot be compromised.

In March 2025, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement for the YPG’s integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country’s territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.

In April 2025, Syrian authorities signed a separate agreement concerning the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods, stipulating that both districts remain administrative parts of Aleppo city while respecting their local particularities.

The agreement included provisions banning armed manifestations, restricting weapons to internal security forces, and requiring the withdrawal of YPG terror group to areas east of the Euphrates River in northeastern Syria.

However, authorities said the YPG has failed to comply with the terms of those agreements.

The Syrian Army has recently deployed additional military reinforcements to the eastern countryside of Aleppo, amid rising tensions with the YPG terrorist organisation and remnants of the former regime, according to Syrian media.

The Syrian government has intensified efforts to restore security nationwide since the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, after 24 years in power.