The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria said on Saturday that Kurdish rights in Syria cannot be guaranteed through temporary decrees, responding to a recent presidential order recognising Kurdish identity.
In a statement, the administration said it had reviewed a decree issued by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa concerning Kurdish rights, stressing that rights "cannot be safeguarded through temporary decrees, but are instead protected and entrenched through permanent constitutions that reflect the will of all peoples and components".
It added that any decree, "regardless of its intentions", does not constitute a genuine guarantee of rights unless it forms part of a comprehensive constitutional framework that recognises and protects the rights of all Syrians without exception.
The administration stressed the need for a "democratic, pluralistic constitution" that safeguards the rights of all communities and beliefs, describing Syria’s diversity as “a source of strength and beauty".
The statement said this position is consistent with the administration’s own "social contract", emphasising that a democratic constitution is the foundation for rights and freedoms, rather than temporary measures or partial decisions.
It said the decree could be seen as a first step, but did not meet the aspirations of Syrians who, according to the statement, had made "tremendous sacrifices and waged a genuine revolution to obtain their legitimate rights and build a democratic state".
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), following days of deadly clashes earlier this month in the Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo.
Fighting between government forces and the SDF displaced tens of thousands of civilians before Kurdish-led forces announced a partial withdrawal from contested areas west of the Euphrates, redeploying east of the river in what commanders described as a de-escalation move.
The clashes followed stalled negotiations over the integration of SDF forces into state institutions and disagreements over decentralisation, political representation and constitutional guarantees for minority rights.
In its statement, the Autonomous Administration said a lasting solution to rights and freedoms in Syria lay in comprehensive national dialogue and the drafting of a "democratic, decentralised constitution" that ensures genuine partnership among all Syrians and establishes a state based on citizenship and social justice.
It added that any future political process must reflect the will of Syrians “in all their diversity” and lay the foundations for an inclusive state that respects rights and freedoms without discrimination.
Late on Friday, al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 13 of 2026, formally recognising Kurdish identity and designating Kurdish as a national language. The decree also grants Syrian citizenship to those previously unregistered, including Kurds affected by the 1962 census in Hasakah province, and affirms that Syrian Kurds are a fundamental and integral part of the Syrian people.
The decree commits the state to protecting cultural and linguistic diversity, allows Kurdish to be taught in public and private schools in areas with significant Kurdish populations, and declares 21 March, marking Nowruz, an official paid public holiday nationwide.
While welcoming recognition of Kurdish identity, the Autonomous Administration said such measures fall short without constitutional guarantees, warning that temporary decrees cannot replace a permanent democratic settlement for Syria’s diverse communities.