Damascus reduces presence of Turkish-backed armed factions in Afrin
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A senior official in the Syrian Ministry of Defense confirmed on Wednesday the ongoing withdrawal and downsizing of armed factions from Syria’s Kurdish city of Afrin.
The process signals preliminary steps toward implementing a recent agreement between the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and Syrian transitional government.
According to the official—speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on condition of anonymity—the Turkish-backed Syrian armed factions have reduced the number of checkpoints and vacated several positions within the city of Afrin in northwestern Syria.
He described the remaining factional presence in Afrin as “temporary,” noting that plans are underway to relocate these forces to military sites previously targeted by Israeli airstrikes.
This move is part of a broader restructuring initiative by the Syrian government, which includes the formal dissolution of several armed factions, including units affiliated with the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, and their integration into the Ministry of Defense.
A Kurdish source familiar with the ongoing negotiations revealed that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are insisting that any security forces deployed in Afrin consist of personnel native to the region.
“Residents of Afrin are waiting for the complete removal of checkpoints and the full withdrawal of Ankara-backed factions,” the source emphasized.
The source also called for international oversight in facilitating the safe and dignified return of displaced residents. More than 300,000 people were displaced from Afrin during the 2018 Turkish-led military operation, according to United Nations reports.
Additional investigations by international organizations documented widespread demographic shifts and the destruction of tens of thousands of olive trees—an iconic feature of the predominantly Kurdish region.
In a related development, Kurdish neighborhood councils in Aleppo signed an agreement with Syrian government institutions in early April, under which People’s Protection Units (YPG) forces withdrew from several neighborhoods. The agreement, which follows a broader March deal between Damascus and the AANES, sets the stage for deeper administrative integration in northern Syria.
The AANES continues to engage with members of the Global Coalition to secure guarantees for the return of displaced communities and the establishment of local security structures that reflect the demographic and cultural makeup of the region.