KDP's Talal Mohammad: Presidential decree not meet Kurdish aspirations, undermines March 10 Agreement

Talal Mohammad assessed the decree issued by the head of the interim authority in Syria concerning the Kurdish language and culture, affirming that it falls short of the demands and struggles of the Kurdish people and carries no real positive impact on the path toward a solution in Syria.

Surprising Speech and an Attempt to Contain the Kurdish Street

Mohammad said that the speech preceding the decree was “surprising to the Kurdish and Syrian public,” noting that Ahmad al-Sharaa attempted through it to emphasize that Kurds are part of the Syrian people and promised to sign a decree guaranteeing their rights.

He added that the speech came after repeated attempts to appease the Kurdish street, especially following crimes committed by factions affiliated with the interim authority in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods, which sparked international and regional reactions and faced criticism from diplomats and members of the U.S. Senate, along with calls to hold those responsible accountable or impose sanctions.

Kurdish Rights Are Not Only Cultural

Mohammad stressed that Kurdish rights are not limited to language, culture, and identity, saying: “We are Syrian Kurds, and we want to be real citizens in Syria. Our rights are political and constitutional before being cultural.”

He emphasized that Newroz is a national holiday of the Kurdish people, not a grant or privilege, but a historical demand of the Kurdish national movement for more than fifty years. He added that the decree does not reflect the sacrifices made by Kurds during 14 years of the Syrian crisis.

Mohammad also pointed out that the decree aims to pressure the Kurdish street to distance itself from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and to undermine trust between Kurds and other components of North and East Syria.

He explained that the interim authority is trying to portray the SDF as a “purely Kurdish force” or as non-Syrian, in order to shape Kurdish public opinion in its favor through this decree.

Mohammad criticized the decree for ignoring key issues, most notably: “the Arab Belt policies and demographic change, and the failure to return the displaced people of Afrin, Girê Spî, and Serê Kaniyê to their original areas.” He stressed that these issues represent the core of Kurdish suffering and cannot be bypassed through revocable decrees.

Undermining the March 10 Agreement

Mohammad noted that it would have been more appropriate for the transitional authority to return to the March 10 Agreement signed between al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, stating that the decree and recent statements have undermined the chances of continuing dialogue based on this agreement.

Call for a Consensus Constitution and Decentralization

The party leader affirmed that Kurdish political policy has been clear from the beginning: “A unified Syria for all Syrians, a consensus-based constitution guaranteeing the rights of all components, and a democratic decentralized system.”

He concluded that the solution does not lie in temporary decrees, but in a genuine partnership in drafting Syria’s new constitution. He called on all Kurdish parties and forces to coordinate diplomatic and political efforts, and to involve all political forces in North and East Syria within clear dialogue mechanisms with international and regional powers.

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ANHA