Syria’s Sharaa declares Kurdish a national language, recognizes Nowruz
AL-Monitor • • world
Key Points:
- Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree granting long-denied cultural and linguistic rights to the Kurdish minority, recognizing Kurds as an integral part of Syria's national identity and declaring Kurdish a national language in areas with significant Kurdish populations.
- The decree also establishes March 21, the Kurdish new year "Nowruz," as a national holiday across Syria, marking unprecedented concessions compared to neighboring countries with Kurdish populations.
- The announcement came just before a key meeting between U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazlum Kobane, with the SDF agreeing to withdraw forces west of the Euphrates to reduce conflict risks.
- These developments occur amid tensions following recent Syrian government attacks
