Syrian government troops have begun entering the town of Deir Hafer, east of Aleppo, after Kurdish forces agreed to withdraw from the area following recent clashes. The decision comes as part of a deal brokered by mediators and friendly countries for Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi, who committed to withdrawing his US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters from the region on Saturday.
The SDF had been deployed in the Deir Hafer area since last week, following deadly clashes with government forces. The Syrian army had urged civilians to flee the area, and at least 4,000 people have already left.
In a surprise move, President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree declaring Kurdish a national language on Friday, marking the first formal recognition of Kurdish national rights since Syria's independence in 1946. The decree stated that Kurds are an "essential and integral part" of Syrian society, having suffered decades of marginalization and oppression under former rulers.
The move is seen as a gesture of goodwill towards the minority community, which controls significant swaths of Syria's oil-rich north and northeast. Kurdish forces have been instrumental in fighting against the Islamic State group over the past decade.
As progress on implementing a March deal to integrate the Kurds' de facto autonomous administration into the state continues to stall, the recognition of Kurdish national rights is seen as a positive development for the minority community. However, concerns remain about how this move will be implemented and whether it will lead to greater autonomy or integration into the Syrian state.
The Syrian government has called on civilians not to enter the operations area until the army has secured it and cleared it of mines and war remnants. The situation in Deir Hafer remains fluid, with ongoing clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters reported in the region.
The SDF had been deployed in the Deir Hafer area since last week, following deadly clashes with government forces. The Syrian army had urged civilians to flee the area, and at least 4,000 people have already left.
In a surprise move, President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree declaring Kurdish a national language on Friday, marking the first formal recognition of Kurdish national rights since Syria's independence in 1946. The decree stated that Kurds are an "essential and integral part" of Syrian society, having suffered decades of marginalization and oppression under former rulers.
The move is seen as a gesture of goodwill towards the minority community, which controls significant swaths of Syria's oil-rich north and northeast. Kurdish forces have been instrumental in fighting against the Islamic State group over the past decade.
As progress on implementing a March deal to integrate the Kurds' de facto autonomous administration into the state continues to stall, the recognition of Kurdish national rights is seen as a positive development for the minority community. However, concerns remain about how this move will be implemented and whether it will lead to greater autonomy or integration into the Syrian state.
The Syrian government has called on civilians not to enter the operations area until the army has secured it and cleared it of mines and war remnants. The situation in Deir Hafer remains fluid, with ongoing clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters reported in the region.
4000 ppl fled deir hafeer already 
think thats cool that kurdish is now officially recognized tho 
but whats the plan for implementation? dont wanna see another civil war breaking out 
and btw what about all the people stuck in the middle who just want peace 
the syrian gov is tryin to smooth things out with kurdish forces by lettin them pull out, but its a bit sus at this point... i mean, they're basically gettin away scot free after clashing with the army, and now they're bein recognized as a national language? its like they're hopin to placate the Kurds before they even work on implementin some actual changes to their rights... 
. Recognizing Kurdish as a national language is like, super important for them, you know? They've been through so much marginalization and oppression, it's about time they get some recognition 
.
. But overall, I think this is a step in the right direction 
. The fact that Kurds are getting some official recognition as an "essential part" of Syrian society is huge 
.
. It's not just about the politics; it's about the people on the ground who are actually living this stuff 
.
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want more autonomy in a country that's been pretty brutal on them for decades? It's like, you gotta give 'em something to make up for all the years of marginalization 
.
. It's like, they've been marginalized for so long, it's nice to see some progress, you know? But at the same time, I'm worried about how this will all play out. Like, what does "national language" even mean in practice? 
, recognizing their language as a national one is like, a huge step forward, you know? they've been marginalised for ages, it's about time someone listened to them 
. and yeah, the fact that mazloum abdi agreed to withdraw his forces is also a good sign 
.
this is like a total game changer for the Kurds!! 
President al-Sharaa is like a hero for doing this decree 
and I gotta say, it's a bit confusing 
. On one hand, it's awesome to see the Syrian government troops entering Deir Hafer and Kurdish forces pulling out after some deadly clashes 
. Like, what's really going on with that decree about recognizing Kurdish as a national language? 
?
. It's like, progress on the March deal is stalled and all that 
... But at least it's a positive development for the Kurdish community, right? 