YPJ Commander: Greatest experience is the fact that no life without self-defense 

2025-09-05 12:47:10


	RIHA – Highlighting that women are not only victims of men but also of hegemonic wars, YPJ Commander Newroz Ehmed stated, “Women can only protect their achievements to the extent that they can organize themselves. Therefore, our call is for all women to organize within the framework of self-defense.”

	Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew the Assad regime and took control on December 8, 2024, conflict and crDAESH persist. While the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), called upon by civilians in coastal regions subjected to HTS massacres and by the Druze in the Sweida region, continues to seek solutions for the area, no progress has been made in the agreement signed between AANES and HTS on March 10, 2025. Likewise, the negotiations held in Damascus in June failed to produce any results.

	 

	HTS, currently part of the interim government that postponed planned talks in Paris, later announced it would not participate in further negotiations. Meanwhile, integration debates in Syria continue alongside Turkey’s ongoing threats of attacks against the Autonomous Administration.

	 

	Founded under women’s leadership by peoples including Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Assyrians, Armenians, Alevis, and Yazidis, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria serves as a refuge for those fleeing HTS attacks. The Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), who have forged a new history through their fight against DAESH, remain resolute in protecting women and their gains against HTS and Turkey-backed paramilitary groups targeting them.

	 

	Newroz Ehmed, a member of the YPJ General Command, spoke to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the regional developments, HTS’s stance, and YPJ’s role and mission in the ongoing process.

	 

	When asked why the “Women’s Revolution” and the new way of life established in Rojava are targeted by nation-states, Newroz Ehmed explained the difference between the nation-state system and the system they are building. She emphasized that in their system, women are conscious of their language, identity, and responsibility to seek justice. While the capitalist system institutionalizes itself through the nation-state, it simultaneously systematizes the enslavement of women, and today men are also trapped in this system. In today’s world dominated by nation-states, women and children are massacred or die from hunger. She noted that Abdullah Öcalan had already been conducting educational activities in Syria and Rojava before the YPJ was established, and the women educated through those programs led society against the existing nation-state system.

	 

	‘YPJ: THE FORCE FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF WOMEN AGAINST NATION-STATE’

	 

	Newroz Ehmed stated that a historic redesign is being attempted in the new period, highlighting Syria’s significant position. She emphasized that under the principles of Democratic Modernity, YPJ and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have created a system where people from all ethnicities and religions coexist. Through this system, they struggle for Syria’s democratization and against the nation-states’ attempts at restructuring, led by women.

	 

	She noted that achieving official recognition for the Rojava model would mark a renaissance for the entire Middle East. The YPJ, which fights based on the ideology of women’s liberation, is the brain of this democratic system and fights for women worldwide.

	 

	“Our fundamental aim is to change this system, which, under the guise of false ‘love’ promises and ‘honor,’ perpetuates femicides and cultural genocide. Through this, we will ensure strong organization based on women’s self-power. Nation-states target the YPJ for this reason, because currently, the YPJ women’s army is the only ideological force fighting on behalf of women against the nation-state mentality,” she said. 

	 

	She emphasized that defending women’s gains against ongoing attacks is still possible today through organization and struggle, as it was in the past.

	 

	‘THE FOUNDATION OF SOCIETY’S CORE VALUES LIES IN WOMEN’S HANDS’

	 

	Before the Baath regime was overthrown, Newroz Ehmed said they had negotiations with the regime as YPJ and SDF, stressing the need for democratic transformation to both the regime and the current government. She added that their fight against DAESH was also a defense of the Syrian governments, as they fought against both centralist and jihadist mentalities. She stated that women have been the most affected by the ongoing events in Syria, noting that attacks on the Druze and Alevi communities especially target women, as women have taken a leading role in these societies. “If women disappear, society disappears. The fundamental values and core strength of these communities remain in women’s hands. While seeking a democratic solution with the Syrian interim government, as women, we will never give up our gains,” she affirmed.

	 

	Regarding the anticipated integration of the YPJ, Newroz Ehmed stressed that their unique organizational structure could serve as a model throughout Syria, enabling integration into a democratic system where all identities can live freely.

	 

	Newroz Ehmed said: “As YPJ, we want to play the same role throughout Syria. We will never entrust women’s security to any male organization, including HTS. Integration, in this context, entails unity and will play a significant role in Syria’s democratization.”

	 

	THE THIRD WORLD WAR

	 

	Newroz Ehmed stressed that it is important to ask why the Third World War, aimed at a new global design, is being fought in the Middle East, particularly Kurdistan: “Because the capitalist system seeks to prolong its lifespan through this war. This allows it to apply the divide-and-rule strategy amid its economic and systemic crisis. The ongoing project attempts to realize this strategy. On one side is the Russia-China bloc, on the other, the America-Israel bloc. Both are preparing to seize dominance. Whoever controls the energy routes and realizes their projects will become the hegemonic power in the Middle East. Many countries were devastated for this project, but the world remained silent because those countries' elimination does not matter to the system; only the interests of the hegemonies matter. Hegemonic states are willing to tolerate all kinds of massacres. This is a danger not only for Kurdish, Druze, and Alevi peoples but for all peoples. As YPJ, we will continue to fight against the massacres we currently face. We wish for a world without war, but the geography we live in is the very center of war. Therefore, we must stand in strong solidarity to succeed against the male-dominated logic of war.”

	 

	CALL IS FOR ALL WOMEN TO ORGANIZE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF SELF-DEFENSE

	 

	Emphasizing that women cannot live without self-defense, especially in the face of the Third World War, and the need for serious organization, Newroz Ehmed noted that society often blames women even when they are victims. 

	 

	She said: “Let us not forget that as much as a woman becomes conscious, she also raises societal awareness, and a conscious woman is one who realizes the urgent reality of self-defense. We faced a massive DAESH attack during Kobane and Sinjar. The sole nightmare of DAESH fighters, who have tormented the world, was to not be killed by a woman’s hand, as their male-dominated belief holds that those killed by women are not granted paradise. This clearly reveals the jihadist misogynist mindset. When we took up arms as YPJ, our homeland, identity, and culture were facing a massive invasion. Had we not militarized, neither we nor our society could have protected or liberated ourselves. We also saved many women with our self-defense identity. As Kurdish women, we became a beacon of hope for women both regionally and globally. Women worldwide want to develop their self-defense and create strong organization so that we can promise a free future to the generations to come. That is why YPJ calls on all women to organize within the framework of self-defense.”

	 

	Answering question about the impact of conferences, congresses, and Jineology (Women's science developed by Abdullah Öcalan) on the women’s struggle, Newroz Ehmed said that women who identified with the Kurdish movement engaged in a struggle for selfhood and organization. She noted that these activities strengthened and expanded national consciousness and said, “Our goal is to further grow our efforts and reach all women. Every organized woman is a guarantee of the leader’s call for peace and a democratic society. In this context, we will intensify our work and collectively fight to dismantle the existing male-dominated logic.”

	 

	THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN KURDISH NATIONAL UNITY

	 

	Touching on the importance of women in achieving Kurdish national unity, Newroz Ehmed pointed out that special war tactics such as prostitution and espionage deployed by the states controlling the four parts of Kurdistan (Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria) have hindered unity.

	 

	“These policies implemented across the four parts significantly prevented the development of national consciousness both among the Kurdish people and among women. What has brought us from those times to today across all four parts is the reality of Leader Apo. The heart of the Kurdish people beats today in Amed (Diyarbakır), Kobane, Mahabad, Sulaymaniyah, and Shengal. Kurdish national consciousness unites the Kurdish people in the face of any attack in the arenas of resistance and struggle. A strong political reality has emerged, and this powerful struggle is certainly inseparable from the Kurdish women’s struggle. As Kurdish women organize and fight, they lead national consciousness and increasingly become an indispensable hope and symbol of hard-won achievements for all women worldwide.”

	 

	Newroz Ehmed also noted the great enthusiasm among women for Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call and image, stating that the struggle to implement Öcalan’s Democratic Modernity paradigm is growing.

	 

	‘WE ARE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ATTACKS’

	 

	Newroz Ehmed cocnluded: “Leader Apo’s historic call had a profound impact on Rojava. Of course, we have talks with both Syria and Turkey. We cannot say ‘the war has stopped’ in the region; even active warfare has not ceased. Attacks by DAESH on our internal security forces continue in Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and many of our cantons. Also, drone attacks by the Turkish state persist. Reconnaissance flights by Turkish forces continue in certain areas. From our fights against DAESH and the battles with SNA (Syrian National Army) and FSA (Free Syrian Army) forces, we have often documented their close ties with the Turkish state. Dirty policies continue to be conducted through MIT (Turkish Intelligence) in our revolutionary areas. Therefore, while some areas experience relative stability, we can say our forces are in great preparation against possible attacks.”

	 

	MA / Ceylan Şahinli