BEIRUT — The main Kurdish militia in Syria, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), has plans to take over mixed areas inhabited by Arabs, Turkmen and Kurds to make a contiguous Kurdish region. This would make the plan to create a de facto Kurdish government in northern Syria more feasible despite opposition by Turkey and other Syrian rebels.

For now, there are three Kurdish enclaves controlled by Kurdish fighters, separated by the Arab-dominated areas of Tel Abyad, Jarabulus and Azaz, where al-Qaeda-affiliated groups are strong.

The Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the strongest Kurdish party in Syria and affiliated with the YPG, announced on Nov. 11 they would form three cantons in cooperation with local Christians, Arabs and Chechens in the PYD-controlled Kurdish areas in the province of Hassakeh, Afrin and Kobane (Ain al-Arab), which is located in the province of Aleppo.

YPG spokesperson Redur Xelil, in an interview with Kurdish journalist Mutlu Civiroglu, confirmed the YPG wants to connect these areas. “Of course, liberating Tel Abyad is included in the YPG plans. I want to be clear that when the time and conditions are right, we will liberate Tel Abyad, too.”