[56756] Riots in Hasakah: Removal of Kurdish signage from government building sparks tension in northern Syria

Riots in Hasakah: Public protest following the removal of Kurdish signage

Tension has broken out in recent days in the city of Hasakah in northern Syria, after an official sign at the 'Palace of Justice' building – which was recently transferred to the control of the Damascus government from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – was replaced with a sign in Arabic and English only, omitting the Kurdish language. The move sparked outrage among the local population, who saw it as an attempt to erase the Kurdish cultural presence from the public sphere.

According to Daily Islamist, a channel with an Islamist and regional orientation, local residents responded directly to the removal of the Kurdish language and took down the new sign themselves as reported by Daily Islamist.

In response to the events, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi intervened and held talks with representatives of the Syrian government. According to Rojava Gündemi, a channel identified with the Kurdish narrative in the Rojava region, Abdi emphasized that "the problem that arose recently in the judicial system was an obstacle to integration," and added that an agreement had been reached to restore the bilingual signage (Arabic and Kurdish).

In another report by Rojava Gündemi, Abdi was quoted as promising that the government had committed to restoring the linguistic signs to their place, a move aimed at calming the streets. However, in an opinion piece published in the same channel, writer Zana Deniz argues that the event symbolizes much more than a dispute over a sign, and that it is a painful reminder of the policy of oppression and historical denial towards Kurdish identity in the region.