Nestled just south of the Syrian‑Turkish border, Kobane—known in Kurdish as Ayn‑al‑Arab—is a Kurdish‑majority city in the Ayn‑al‑Arab district of northern Syria. [k_49fed32b8bb59992] [k_5a640792b4f2e3d8]
The YPG, a libertarian‑socialist Kurdish militia, forms the core of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition that has pursued a secular, federalist vision for Syria since its formal launch in 2015. Turkey, however, has consistently denounced the group as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it labels a terrorist organization. [k_c0801a6118e80be2] [k_5a640792b4f2e3d8]
In recent statements posted on Turkish news sites, Mahmut Berhudan, the SDG commander responsible for Kobane, claimed that “the problems with integration into the Syrian army and government have been overcome by 99 percent.” He added that “in a few days we will announce the dissolution of the YPG‑SDG alliance, and the autonomous administrative structure will disappear.” These remarks signal a dramatic shift from the semi‑autonomous model the SDF has operated under for over a decade. [w_d30fc1cfe2a19953] [w_f0f20e0a7728511e]
Berhudan framed the upcoming move as part of a broader strategic gamble by Turkey’s leadership. He lauded President Erdogan and Nationalist Movement Party chief Bahçeli, saying, “President Erdogan and MHP leader Bahçeli took huge risks, but perhaps they made the ‘thousand‑year move.’” (unverified) The commander argues that their approach represents a “real patriotic responsibility” that offers the only viable solution to the Kurdish‑Turkish impasse. [w_344199f81321d3f1]
According to the same reports, Berhudan warned that the YPJ—the women’s wing of the YPG—remains an ‘unresolved issue,’ but insisted that ‘there is no separate state demand.’ He outlined a future in which ‘one army, one state, one flag, and a common homeland’ will rebuild Syria. The commander emphasized that the armed forces have ‘buried their weapons’ and that the group will now exist as an integral part of Syria rather than as a distinct Kurdish entity. (unverified) [w_f0f20e0a7728511e] [w_d30fc1cfe2a19953]
Berhudan promised that the formal announcement of the YPG‑SDG dissolution will arrive within days, effectively ending the autonomous administration that has governed parts of northern Syria. He suggested that the move will reverberate beyond Syria, reshaping the geopolitical calculus of Iraq, Iran and the wider Middle East. (unverified) While the statements have yet to be confirmed by independent observers, they mark a potentially historic pivot in the pro‑Kurdish project that has been a cornerstone of the Syrian conflict since 2015. [w_d30fc1cfe2a19953] [w_f0f20e0a7728511e]
- Kobani — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobani - People's Defense Units — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Defense_Units - Syrian Democratic Forces — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces - Kobani'deki SDG komutanı Erdoğan ve Bahçeli'yi övdü: YPG'nin feshini ... — https://halktv.com.tr/turkiye/kobanideki-sdg-komutani-erdogan-ve-bahceliyi-ovdu-ypgnin-fesihini-aciklayacaklarini-soyledi-1049205h - SDG'nin Kobani sorumlusu Berhudan, Erdoğan ve Bahçeli'yi ... - T24 — https://t24.com.tr/gundem/sdgnin-kobani-sorumlusu-berhudan-erdogan-ve-bahceliyi-ovdu-ypg-sdgnin-feshini-birkac-gun-icinde-duyuracaklarini-soyledi,1342070?_t=1786855488610 - SDG'nin Kobani sorumlusu Erdoğan ve Bahçeli'yi övdü, 'YPG-SDG'nin ... — https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/siyaset/sdg-nin-kobani-sorumlusu-erdogan-ve-bahceli-yi-ovdu-ypg-sdg-nin-feshini-birkac-gun-icinde-duyuracagiz-dedi-2529433