Kurdish Protesters Remove Government Billboard in Hasaka After Language Change

Protesters in Hasaka in eastern Syria tore down a government billboard at the Justice Palace on May 7. The protests by local Kurdish residents followed the Syrian government’s decision to change the language on the billboard from Kurdish and Arabic to English and Arabic. Locals chanted “Kurdistan” during the demonstrations and forcibly removed the newly installed billboard.

Syria’s Ministry of Justice accused “saboteurs” of vandalizing the sign in Hasaka, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency. The ministry’s statement did not mention the protesters’ complaints about the removal of the Kurdish language. Similar protests took place in Qamishli and Kobane.

The unrest unfolded as Syria attempts to integrate Kurds into the security forces and address a lack of citizenship. Many Kurds in Syria have lacked citizenship due to the discriminatory laws of the previous regime. FDD reported that the protests highlight demand for rights amid unsettled governance and minority issues.

The Syrian Interior Ministry took over areas in eastern Syria from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in January and February 2026. An agreement between the SDF and Damascus is intended to pave the way for the SDF’s integration into the Syrian security forces.

Sipan Hamo, a deputy defense minister responsible for part of eastern Syria, said on May 2 that four brigades were formed from the Syrian Democratic Forces and have been officially integrated into the military structure.

The four integrated SDF brigades include units from Kobane in northern Syria, as well as units from Hasaka, Qamishli, and Derik in eastern Syria. Initial integration plans in 2025 called for three SDF divisions to become part of the security forces. Hamo indicated that more work is needed to achieve cohesion and integrate more units.

Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026 was issued in mid-January 2026. The decree recognizes Kurdish as a national language of Syria. However, questions remain about how Kurdish will be incorporated into education and official communications.

On May 7, SANA reported on Syrian Kurds applying for citizenship. Article 4 of Presidential Decree No. 13 grants Syrian citizenship to all citizens of Kurdish origin residing in Syria, including those with unregistered civil status, while guaranteeing full equality in rights and duties.

Syria’s Interior Ministry extended the deadline for receiving citizenship applications from Syrian Kurds by an additional 15 days. Citizenship application centers are located in al-Jawadiyah, Hasakah, and Qamishli. The protests in Hasaka occurred even though the recent presidential decree recognized Kurdish as a national language.

FDD reported that the move against the Kurdish language on the billboard came despite that decree.