Syria’s President Affirms Kurds’ Rights, in Overture to the Minority
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree recognizing Kurdish as a national language and adopting Nowruz as an official holiday, signaling an overture to Kurdish Syrians amid recent clashes.
- The decree also called for granting citizenship to Kurds stripped of it after a 1962 census aimed at limiting their political influence.
- The announcement followed days of deadly fighting between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (S.D.F.) in Aleppo, resulting in at least 24 civilian deaths and mass displacement.
- Despite ongoing negotiations to integrate the S.D.F. into the national military, talks have stalled, contributing to heightened tensions and violence.
- This marks some of the most intense conflict since the end of Syria’s civil
