Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a decree aimed at safeguarding the rights of Kurds, including recognition of their language and citizenship restoration, as clashes persist between US-backed Kurdish forces and government troops.
On Friday (16 January) Al-Sharaa addressed Syria’s Kurdish population, saying the decree would guarantee their rights “to be safeguarded by the text of the law” and urged displaced Kurdish-Syrians to return to their towns and villages, provided they laid down their weapons.
The full text of the decree, published subsequently, states that Kurdish will be recognised as a “national language” in Syria and declares Nowruz a national holiday. It also calls for the restoration of Syrian citizenship for Kurdish residents stripped of it under the controversial 1962 census, and directs state institutions to promote inclusive discourse and equal rights for all communities.
The announcement comes amid renewed tensions in northern Syria, where clashes have flared between Kurdish forces and government troops despite ongoing international efforts to stabilise the area.
On Friday, United States military forces met with Kurdish partners in Syria’s Deir Hafer region as part of Washington’s efforts to support stability, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said. CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told Al Arabiya English that “a Syria at peace with itself is critical to preserving peace and stability across the region.”
Meanwhile, SDF head Mazloum Abdi said on X that his forces would withdraw from areas east of Aleppo and redeploy east of the Euphrates, citing calls from friendly countries and mediators.
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Israel said on Saturday that the Trump administration’s announcement on the composition of a new Gaza executive board was made without coordination and contradicts Israeli government policy.
Trump administration officials held months-long discussions with Venezuela’s hardline interior minister Diosdado Cabello before the U.S. operation that led to the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.
A railway power outage in Tokyo disrupted the morning commute for roughly 673,000 passengers on Friday (16 January) as two main lines with some of the world's busiest stations were halted after reports of a fire.
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The Turkish Defence Ministry has voiced its support for recent military operations by Syrian government forces against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which enjoy the support of the United States.
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Syrian government forces have moved into the northern towns of Deir Hafer and Maskana as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdraw, amid renewed clashes and accusations that withdrawal terms were violated.
Syrian troops swept through dozens of towns and villages in the country's north on Saturday after Kurdish fighters withdrew under an agreement that aimed to avoid a bloody showdown between the rival forces.
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