Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara hosted a delegation including the governors of Aleppo, Raqqa and Hasakah for Nowruz, marking the first time the country recognised Kurdish New Year.
Nowruz was officially declared a national public holiday in a January presidential decree that provided greater linguistic and cultural provisions for Kurds in Syria. The decision came amid clashes between Kurdish-led forces and the military, resulting in the government reclaiming control of Kurdish-held cities in north-eastern Syria.
During the reception in Damascus, which coincided with Eid Al Fitr celebrations, Mr Al Shara "emphasised that Nowruz is a national holiday that reflects the unique cultural identity of the Kurdish people within the unified Syrian fabric", Syria's state-run Sana news agency reported on Sunday. Mr Al Shara also stressed the rights of Kurds are "authentic and inherent", it added.
The January decree abolished measures dating from a 1962 census in Hasakah province, which stripped many Kurds of Syrian nationality, and granted citizenship to all affected residents, including those previously registered as stateless. But it is not enshrined in the country's constitution.
The meeting was also attended by Mr Al Shara's envoy tasked with overseeing the introduction of an integration agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). On January 29, Syria's government reached an deal with the militia aimed at gradually integrating the group into the central army, as part of a transition following the downfall of the regime of former president Bashar Al Assad in December 2024.
The integration will involve the formation of a military division made up of three SDF brigades, as well as the incorporation of a brigade in Kobani – also known as Ain Al Arab − into a division affiliated with Aleppo province.
The SDF were once Washington's main Syrian ally, playing a vital role in the fight against ISIS. But its status took a major hit as US President Donald Trump cultivated relations with Mr Al Shara, who has now brought almost all of Syria back under the authority of Damascus.
Kurds gathered in cities across Syria at the weekend to celebrate Nowruz. Syria's Deputy Minister of Defence for the Eastern Region, Sipan Hemo, a Kurd, on Saturday warned that anyone insulting the Syrian flag or attacking Kurds or Kurdish symbols would face consequences. It came after footage online showed attacks from both sides.
