Ali Bakir
24 January 2026 12:00 GMT

But the YPG’s inevitable clash with the state came this month, as the Syrian army, supported by allied Arab tribes, advanced quickly. The YPG’s rapid collapse was expected by those familiar with its history: the group, operating under a Kurdish banner, was never a genuine grassroots force. It lacked popular support even among most Kurds and was completely dependent on foreign political and military backing.

Throughout the Syrian conflict, the group shifted its loyalty from the Assad regime to Iran, then Russia, then the United States and the European Union, and finally Israel. At no point since 2011 could it have held its ground against its opponents without massive funding, weapons and air support from the US and others.