The Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) have controlled much of northern Syria since the withdrawal of the Syrian army in 2012. The group partnered with the United States in October 2015 to become the key component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), leading the fight on the ground against the Islamic State (ISIS).
Political consultancy firm Jim Dornan Strategies formally registered with authorities in the United States as an agent of the “Kurdish Defense Forces/YPG SDF” on April 30, according to Foreign Lobby Report.
The company is headed by Jim Dornan, a former Republican congressional staffer and campaign operative, and will lobby on “U.S./KDF (Kurdish Defense Forces) cooperation regarding ISIS,” the monitoring group said.
Despite providing the SDF with significant military support, the United States has proven reluctant to recognise the new political structures established in the areas under the group’s control.
U.S. relations with the SDF are complicated by strong opposition from NATO-ally Turkey, which says the YPG is closely linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK).
Turkey has launched several military incursions against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, most recently in Oct. 2019, after former U.S. President Donald Trump partially withdrew troops from the region.
However, SDF officials hope the new U.S. administration under Joe Biden will be more steadfast in its support.
The SDF’s political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council, has previously used lobbying firm AF International to act on its behalf in Washington, Foreign Lobby Report said.
Reporter's code: 50101