Syria Grants Immediate Citizenship to Kurds in Wake of Gains Against SDF



In a dramatic shift in Syrian politics and governance, the interim Syrian government has issued an urgent decree granting immediate citizenship to Kurds across the country, including those long classified as stateless. The move comes as government forces have made significant territorial gains against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), reshaping the political and military balance in the country’s war-scarred north.

The citizenship initiative, ordered by Syria’s Ministry of Interior under Decree No. 13 of 2026, mandates the rapid implementation of nationality rights for Kurdish residents — a group that endured decades of exclusion and legal limbo rooted in policies dating back to the 1960s.

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A Milestone in Kurdish Rights After Decades of Exclusion

For the first time in modern Syrian history, Kurds — who comprise a substantial minority in the country — will be fully recognised as Syrian citizens with equal rights and duties. This decision annuls the legal consequences of the controversial 1962 Hasakah census, which stripped tens of thousands of Kurds of their nationality and rendered many stateless for generations.

The Interior Ministry’s directive, signed by Minister Anas Khattab, instructs all relevant authorities to issue the necessary executive procedures and complete the process by February 5, 2026, reflecting the government’s intent to act swiftly.

This move is widely seen as a historic redress of systemic exclusion that denied Kurds legal protections, access to public services, ownership rights, and full civic participation. Prior to the decree, only a fraction of the stateless Kurdish population had their citizenship restored after previous attempts at reform.

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Expanded Cultural and Linguistic Recognition

In addition to citizenship, President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s decree formally recognises Kurdish as a national language alongside Arabic — a rare and symbolic affirmation of Syria’s cultural diversity. It also designates Nowruz (March 21), the Kurdish spring and New Year festival, as a paid national holiday.

The decree prohibits ethnic or linguistic discrimination, mandates inclusive language in state institutions, and sets penalties for incitement to ethnic strife — signalling a broader commitment to cultural rights and social inclusion.

For Kurdish communities long marginalised and frequently subject to cultural suppression, these changes represent more than administrative adjustments — they are fundamental shifts in state attitudes toward minority rights in Syria.

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Context: Military Advances and Political Calculus

The citizenship decree did not occur in isolation. It follows a military offensive by Syrian government forces against the Kurdish-led SDF, which culminated in the recapture of major cities including Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. The gains have resulted in the diminishing territorial control of the SDF and have paved the way for ceasefire agreements and integration talks between Damascus and Kurdish forces.

Recent developments include a comprehensive deal to integrate SDF units into the Syrian army, marking an effort to unify the fractured security landscape of the country following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.

Even as a ceasefire has been extended amid ongoing tensions, these political and military shifts have bolstered President al-Sharaa’s efforts to consolidate authority and bring previously autonomous Kurdish regions closer under central governance.

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Reactions and Regional Implications

The decision has elicited a range of responses. Some Kurdish leaders describe the decree as a meaningful step toward inclusion, though they maintain that acknowledgment of rights must be matched with genuine political participation and security guarantees. Others view it with cautious optimism, wary of whether legal citizenship will translate into substantive power or protection from future repression.

Internationally, the move comes at a time when the United States and other global actors have been recalibrating their policies in Syria following the shift in control from the Assad era to the current interim government. The rapprochement between Damascus and Kurdish forces, backed by diplomatic engagement, reflects broader efforts to stabilise Syria’s fragmented landscape after more than a decade of conflict.

Regionally, neighbouring states with significant Kurdish populations — including Iraq, Turkey, and Iran — are closely watching these changes, mindful of their potential domestic spill-overs. Particularly for Turkey, which has considered the SDF and its affiliated groups as extensions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Syrian decisions on Kurdish rights carry deep strategic implications.

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Challenges Ahead: Implementation and Trust Building

While the decree marks a historic legal shift, its success depends on effective implementation on the ground. Granting citizenship is one step; ensuring equal access to justice, economic opportunities, social services, and local governance participation requires sustained political will and resources.

There are also practical challenges: decades of discrimination and conflict have left deep mistrust between Kurdish communities and central authorities. For many Kurds, citizenship restoration must be accompanied by guarantees of security, fair representation, and protection of cultural autonomy.

Moreover, the integration of Kurdish military and administrative structures into Syrian national institutions will test both sides’ willingness to compromise and share power in a country still struggling to recover from a long and brutal civil war.

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Conclusion: A Turning Point With Uncertain Horizons

Syria’s decision to grant immediate citizenship and cultural recognition to Kurds represents a remarkable transformation in national policy, overturning decades of statelessness and cultural marginalisation. It reflects a broader push by the interim government to rebuild a unified Syrian state after years of fragmentation and conflict.

However, the path ahead remains complex. The success of this initiative will depend not only on legal change but also on the political integration, economic inclusion, and social reconciliation that follow. As Kurds and the broader Syrian society navigate this transition, the world will be watching to see whether this historic decree leads to lasting peace and equality, or becomes another chapter in the unpredictable evolution of Middle East politics.