Syria’s Kurdish YPG fighters hire their first lobbyist

The Syrian Kurdish military forces have hired their first Washington lobbyist as they continue to battle the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS) in their autonomous region of northeast Syria.

Republican political operative Jim Dornan has registered his firm Jim Dornan Strategies as an agent of the “Kurdish Defense Forces/YPG SDF,” effective April 30. The YPG, or People’s Protection Units, are the main component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). They are considered a terrorist group by Turkey, contributing to the tensions between the US and its NATO ally.

Dornan is registered to lobby on “US/KDF (Kurdish Defense Forces) cooperation regarding ISIS.” The registration is effective today, April 30.

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Dornan is a longtime Republican campaign operative and former congressional staffer who notably served as chief of staff to Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) when Burr served in the House of Representatives. Dornan declined to discuss his lobbying work for the YPG.

The registration comes as Kurdish military commanders have been pressing the Joe Biden administration to stay engaged in the fight. President Donald Trump declared that the Islamic State had been defeated in Iraq and Syria back in March 2019, but the Kurds have been warning of its return.

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