№126: The YPG and the Changing Dynamics of the Fight against IS
№126: The YPG and the Changing Dynamics of the Fight against IS

Author(s): Dylan O’Driscoll
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Security and defense, Military policy
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: ISIS; Turkey; security; Middle East
Summary/Abstract: Recently, Turkey and the U.S. signed an agreement for Turkey to join the coalition’s fight against the Islamic State (IS, a.k.a. ISIS/ISIL). As part of this agreement an IS-free zone will be created in Syria, but it is not clear yet whether this will encroach on the territory of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the main Kurdish armed group operating in Syria. The YPG has been one of the most successful forces on the ground in the fight against IS and despite the changing dynamics it still remains important. However, Turkey’s entry into the battle will lead to every aspect of the YPG being reassessed, as Turkey deems it to be a terrorist organisation. Nonetheless, the YPG still has a significant role to play and abandoning it now could lead to the situation in Syria becoming even more complex.

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