After fighting ISIS, Kurdish women fighters search for a place in Syria's new order – analysis

More than 1,500 fighters from the Kurdish Women's Protection Units (YPJ) are seeking integration into Syria's new security institutions after being excluded from army arrangements following the dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). YPJ commander Nowruz Ahmed stated on September 2 that Syrian officials rejected their proposal to join the army as an independent women's brigade, despite their combat experience against ISIS. The YPJ is now discussing a potential role within the Interior Ministry's special operations forces, aiming to be incorporated as a single, organized unit. As one fighter, Hevrin Jwan, noted, "When we hear that the men will be integrated into the army while we are told there is no place for us, it is natural for us to feel excluded." The negotiations focus on preserving the YPJ's collective identity and organized structure within state institutions, rather than individual assignments.