Syria grants citizenship to Kurdish fighters following territorial gains

Syria’s Ministry of Interior Issues Decree Granting Citizenship to Kurdish Minorities

The Syrian government has issued a decree granting citizenship to Kurdish minorities, as mandated by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The decree applies to all Kurds residing in Syria and includes those listed as stateless, according to an order from Interior Minister Anas Khattab.

The decree was set to be implemented on February 5, with the ministry tasked with drafting instructions and guidelines for its rollout. Under the decree, the state is also required to safeguard the culture and language of Syrian Kurds, as well as teach the Kurdish language in public and private schools in Kurdish-majority areas.

The decree designates March 21 as the date of the Newroz festival, a nationwide celebration welcoming spring that is widely observed. The move comes after President al-Sharaa declared recognition of Kurdish as one of Syria’s national languages and restored citizenship to all Kurdish Syrians two weeks ago.

As part of this development, Syrian forces have been consolidating control of the country following a rapid offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the north. The SDF has withdrawn from several cities, including Raqqa and Deir Az Zor, allowing the government to unite the country after nearly 14 years of civil war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with President al-Sharaa on Wednesday to discuss Syria’s future and Russian troops’ presence in the country.

Source: Al Jazeera