Committees for “unregistered persons” count requests 

Following the expiration of the deadline for receiving applications from Kurdish citizens classified as "unregistered" for Syrian citizenship, the committees in the cities of Qamishlo, Derik, and Çil Agha in the Jazera region began counting the submitted applications. This coincided with preparations for a meeting in the coming days to discuss the possibility of extending the registration period.

The registration process began on April 6th and continued until May 6th, in accordance with Decree No. 13 issued by the Interim Government at the beginning of this year, which grants Syrian citizenship to Kurdish citizens classified as "unregistered."

In Qamishlo, applications were received at the designated center in the March 12 Martyrs Stadium, while in Derik and Çil Agha, applications were received at the civil registry offices.

With the end of official working hours on May 6th, the centers closed, and the committees began counting the submitted applications, which included both individual and family applications.

According to information previously obtained by ANHA agency, more than 3,000 individuals and approximately 1,290 families registered in Qamishlo, while Derik received around 2,000 individual applications and 500 family applications. In Çil Agha, 515 individuals and 243 family applications were submitted as of April 24th.

ANHA agency has learned that the relevant committees will discuss the possibility of extending the application deadline during an upcoming meeting, with a final decision expected next week.

Regarding members of the Kurdish diaspora residing abroad, the committees have allowed a first-degree relative, such as a father, mother, brother, or older sister, to submit the application on behalf of the expatriate. Their status will then be recorded as expatriate, and they will subsequently complete the process in Damascus through a permanent committee dedicated to handling the cases of those whose births have not been officially registered.

On January 16, 2026, the head of the Syrian Interim Government issued Decree No. 13, following years of advocacy and struggle to address the issue of "unregistered persons."

The roots of this issue lie in the exceptional census conducted in Hasaka Governorate on October 5, 1962, where population records were audited in a single day. This resulted in the deprivation of a large number of Kurdish citizens of Syrian nationality. Estimates suggest that the number of stateless persons, including those whose births were not registered, exceeds 500,000.

Sh-S

ANHA