Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara issued Decree No. 13 of 2026 in Damascus on January 16, recognizing Syrian Kurds as an essential part of the Syrian people, guaranteeing their cultural and linguistic rights, restoring citizenship affected by the 1962 Hasakah census, and declaring Nowruz a national holiday, while calling on Kurds to lay down arms and return to their lands amid northern Syria tensions, according to X posts by @kaisos1987, @ivarmm, and @mintelworld shared between 6:46 PM and 7:15 PM UTC. The decree, signed Rajab 27, 1447 AH (January 16), commits the state to protecting Kurdish heritage, permits Kurdish language teaching in schools where Kurds form a significant population, cancels discriminatory 1962 census measures, prohibits ethnic discrimination, and mandates inclusive national discourse in media and education, as detailed in the full text posted by @ivarmm on X during the 29-minute reporting window. President al-Shara, also known as Ahmed Al-Sharaa, addressed Kurds directly above their leadership in a recorded video, per @kaisos1987 on X. Separately, Al-Julani published a message to Kurds amid escalation with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), according to Almihwar News. These developments occur against ongoing Syrian Arab Army warnings for civilians to evacuate SDF- and PKK-held sites in Deir Hafer, eastern Aleppo countryside, issued earlier on January 16, as previously reported.
