KNCS Calls for Total Peace and National Dialogue

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Marking what it described as a primary official approach to the Kurdish cause, the Kurdish National Council (KNCS) formally welcomed Presidential Decree No. 13 on Sunday. The council characterized the decisions to cancel the results of the exceptional census and recognize Kurdish cultural rights as a positive step toward a comprehensive and just solution for the nation’s political and national issues.

In a statement released on Sunday, KNCS expressed its satisfaction with the decree issued by President Ahmed Sharaa on Jan. 16, 2026. The council noted that the decision recognizes Kurds as an essential and indigenous part of the Syrian people while affirming their cultural and linguistic rights. A significant highlight noted by the council was the reversal of the "exceptional census" results, which had deprived tens of thousands of Kurdish citizens of their right to citizenship for decades.

The council also praised the designation of Nowruz, the Kurdish national holiday, as a national holiday across all of Syria. KNCS defined the decree as a "positive step and the first official approach" that explicitly addresses the issue of Kurdish rights. However, the council emphasized that this recognition must be further developed into constitutional recognition of national rights to ensure a genuine partnership in the administration of the state.

The statement read: “This decree can become a basis for starting a serious and responsible dialogue between the Syrian government and the joint Kurdish delegation.”

According to KNCS, the ultimate goal of such a dialogue should be to reach a sustainable solution that enshrines the cultural, linguistic, national, and political rights of the Kurdish people within the framework of a "pluralistic and decentralized democratic state." Such a structure, the council argued, would ensure that the rights of all components are protected.

As the country moves toward a new administrative reality, KNCS called for a total cessation of war and strict adherence to the ceasefire announced on Sunday. The council urged all parties to utilize this opportunity to deepen political and national dialogue, aiming to strengthen internal peace and national unity based on the principles of justice.

The council’s endorsement adds a significant layer of local legitimacy to the integration process currently unfolding across northeastern Syria.