Uncertain Future in Rojava: Syrian Public Security Forces Assume Control of Afrin

Feb. 6, 2025

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian Public Security Forces entered Afrin, northwest Syria (Rojava), on Thursday morning, assuming control of the city from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA).

A video sent to Kurdistan24 captured the moment Public Security Forces entered Afrin, marking a significant shift in the city’s administration.

A Step Toward Stability or a New Chapter of Uncertainty?

According to local sources, a convoy of 60 vehicles belonging to the interim Syrian government’s security apparatus arrived in Afrin to oversee the transition of power. 

The deployment is perceived as an initial step toward reclaiming the city from Turkish-backed forces, aiming to address issues of military restructuring, resolve factional conflicts, and establish a new administrative framework in alignment with Syria’s evolving political landscape.

While some Afrin residents welcomed the presence of public security forces, expressing hopes for stability, the release of detained civilians, and the disarmament of militias, others remain skeptical about whether this move will bring lasting peace or merely shift control from one power to another. Protesters in the city held banners demanding law enforcement, institutional governance, and an end to unchecked armed groups.

For years, Afrin suffered from fragmented rule, where each village fell under the control of different armed factions, fostering instability and hindering coordinated governance. Now, with the establishment of a centralized security force, citizens hope for the enforcement of legal structures that safeguard their rights and security.

Reports of Abductions in Aleppo Raise Concerns

Despite the security developments in Afrin, tensions persist elsewhere. Local sources told Kurdistan 24 that on Thusday, an armed group in Aleppo, a city under public security control, stopped public transport vehicles operating on the Baghdad Station - Sheikh Maqsoud route. 

The group allegedly assaulted several young Kurdish men before forcibly taking them to an unknown location.

According to witnesses, the detentions were conducted based on identity checks, with young Kurdish men singled out and forcibly disappeared to an undisclosed destination.

Afrin at a Crossroads

The deployment of Syrian Public Security Forces could mark a turning point for Afrin and broader Rojava as the region transitions from militia rule to a structured security framework. 

However, uncertainty lingers over whether this change will foster long-term stability or escalate tensions amid Syria’s complex political and military dynamics.

While Afrin takes its first steps toward governance under new leadership, questions remain about whether this shift will lead to real institutional reform or simply a new phase of power struggles in an already fragile region.