Turkey peace process developments in Iraq and Syria

Developments regarding the peace and democratic society process in Turkey are expanding across regional borders, particularly in Iraq and Syria. In Iraq, the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ), formed in 2014 to protect Yazidis from ISIS, are beginning to integrate into the Iraqi federal army and Ministry of Interior. This move aims to incorporate approximately 4,000 YBŞ members into the state security apparatus, a step aligned with Baghdad’s policy to consolidate armed groups under a single umbrella.

Proponents of this integration suggest it could secure the Development Road Project, which seeks to connect the Persian Gulf to Europe via Turkey. Conversely, PKK sources interpret the YBŞ’s integration as a measure to protect Sinjar’s autonomy and Yazidi security against pressure from Ankara and Erbil. Abdullah Öcalan has reportedly suggested a “Turkish model” for Sinjar in relation to the solution process.

Within Turkey, political discussions continue regarding the government’s role in the peace process. DEM Party MP Sabahat Erdoğan Sarıtaş has criticized the reliance on administrative and security-oriented decision-making mechanisms, such as the National Security Council (MGK), which she argues may be hindering progress. She emphasized that for the process to be sustainable, the state must respond to steps taken by the Kurdish movement, including discussions regarding the dissolution of organizational structures and the withdrawal of armed forces.