Syrian Interim Government Recognizes Kurdish Rights: Linguistic, Cultural Recognition, and Citizenship Restoration

Damascus, January 17. Syria’s interim leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, issued a decree on Friday formally recognizing the cultural, linguistic, and civic rights of Syrian Kurds. This decision comes amid escalating tensions between the government and Kurdish-led military forces in Aleppo and its eastern countryside.

According to the state news agency SANA, the decree emphasizes that Syrian Kurds are an “integral and authentic” part of the Syrian nation and recognizes the Kurdish language as a national language.

The decree commits the state to protecting cultural and linguistic diversity, permits the Kurdish language to be taught as an optional subject or cultural-educational activity in schools in Kurdish-majority areas, and prohibits ethnic or linguistic discrimination or incitement.

It restores citizenship to Kurds who were left stateless due to the 1962 census in Hasakah province and recognizes Nowruz (the festival marking the first day of spring on March 21) as a paid national holiday.

This announcement coincides with heightened tensions between the government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) around Aleppo.

In a statement on Syria’s state TV channel al-Ikhbariya, the Syrian military authority claimed that it had begun retaliatory actions against what it described as positions belonging to militias affiliated with the SDF in the city of Deir Hafer.

The statement said, “These sites are legitimate military targets,” and added that the army would take all necessary measures to protect civilians and prevent further attacks on Aleppo and its surroundings.

The SDF, for its part, stated that Damascus-backed forces had heavily shelled Deir Hafer with artillery, describing the bombardment as a serious escalation. In a brief statement, it noted that the shelling was ongoing at the time of reporting and that targeted attacks within and around the city were increasing.

Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib stated that, as clashes continue, approximately 27,450 civilians have fled the Kurdish-controlled areas of Deir Hafir and Maskanah towards Aleppo city and its countryside in recent days.

This decree by the Syrian interim government is an attempt to balance the country’s complex demographic realities and strategic necessities. While the recognition of Kurdish rights is expected to contribute to social harmony and national reconstruction, its implementation appears challenging in an environment of military confrontation. Although historically marginalized, granting recognition to the Kurdish community does not guarantee a long-term solution due to the lack of consensus between central authority and local autonomous powers. This move could also provide new grounds for the international community to intervene in Syria’s internal affairs.