Syrian Interior Ministry Orders Immediate Implementation of Decree Granting Citizenship to Kurds

Peregraf — Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab on Tuesday issued an urgent decision mandating the immediate implementation of Decree No. 13 of 2026, which grants Syrian citizenship to citizens of Kurdish origin residing across Syria, including those previously classified as “unregistered” (Maktoum al-Qayd), with full equality in rights and duties.

According to an official circular sent by the Ministry of Interior to the General Administration of Civil Status, the decree abolishes all laws and exceptional measures resulting from the controversial 1962 census in Al-Hasakah governorate. The ministry stressed that Syrian nationality will now be granted to all eligible Kurdish residents throughout Syrian territory without discrimination.

The circular instructs relevant ministries and authorities to issue the necessary executive regulations to enforce the decree within their respective jurisdictions, emphasizing the simplification of procedures “as much as possible” for Kurdish citizens. The General Administration of Civil Status has been asked to submit the required implementation instructions by February 5, 2026.

Signed by Interior Minister Mohammad Anas Khattab and dated January 28, 2026, the decision is seen as a significant legal step toward addressing decades-long statelessness affecting large numbers of Kurds in Syria, particularly those impacted by the 1962 census, which stripped many of their nationality and civil rights.