Arab demonstrators in Hasaka, Syria, confronted Kurdish residents, with reports that protesters demanded control of the city’s governing institutions. Kurdish residents staged counter-protests after demonstrators targeted Kurdish symbols. Clashes followed with state-affiliated security forces.
Protests and power-sharing
The protests come amid a compromise that allows Kurdish officials to retain influence and authority in Hasaka and other areas previously administered by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF controlled Hasaka until it reached an agreement with the central government in January 2026, following clashes between the SDF and Damascus.
The SDF had U.S. backing since 2015 and played a central role in the campaign against ISIS. It defeated the group and liberated areas, including Hasaka, from its control. Since then, the Syrian government has sought to integrate the SDF into the new Syrian army, while some Kurdish commanders retain senior positions. Sipan Hamo, a prominent SDF commander, became a deputy defense minister.
Hasaka Governor Nour al-Din Ahmed said on Friday that people and groups opposed to the integration agreement were fueling unrest. The SDF appointed Ahmed, and Damascus approved him. He’s a key figure in efforts to reconcile former SDF-held areas with the central government and integrate their institutions.
“Some figures and parties oppose the agreement [between the SDF and Damascus] and do not want it to be implemented,” Ahmed said. “So they have sought to play with the emotions of the community by finding pretexts to mobilize the public.” Rudaw reported that his comments came as pro-government protesters attacked Kurdish symbols and Kurdish residents held counter-protests. They’re now at the center of a dispute over the agreement.
Symbols and unresolved tensions
Rudaw reported that tensions rose after protesters targeted Kurdish flags and an image of a woman’s braid, which has recently emerged as a symbol of Kurdish resistance in northeast Syria, also known as Rojava. Footage circulated by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights showed security forces firing into the air to disperse demonstrators.
The strains also involve Kurdish-language instruction in schools and the use of Kurdish on government signs. Relations between Arab tribes and former SDF members have remained tense. In September, a Kurdish soldier was murdered, while other Kurds died in a prison riot in Kobane. Damascus and local authorities have generally sought to reduce tensions, but people responsible on either side haven’t faced charges as officials seek to preserve stability, the article reported.
Some demonstrators carried an image of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during a protest on Friday. Several Arab tribes in the Middle Euphrates River Valley near Hasaka have longstanding ties to Iraqi tribes and historically tended to support Saddam Hussein. Many Kurds know of the genocide he committed against the Kurdish population in Iraq; the article said displaying his image sends a hostile message toward Kurds. It also said the image reflects sentiments among some Arab tribes whose historical ties to Iraq may be stronger than their ties to Syria.
Calls for dialogue
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Rudaw’s Diyar Kurda that the United States was “closely monitoring and concerned by reports of unrest in Hasakah” and urged all parties to reject violence and resolve differences through peaceful dialogue.
The Kurdish National Council in Syria said the future of the Syrian Jazira region can’t be built through exclusion or division, but through partnership and protection of the dignity and rights of all its people. It said this approach would support “a democratic, pluralistic Syria founded on freedom and justice.” The council also called for respect for ethnic and cultural distinctiveness, rejection of accusations of treason and exclusion, and priority for dialogue and national responsibility.
Former SDF commander Mazloum Abdi spoke in Hasaka province on Friday and reiterated his commitment to integration. It’s unclear when the tensions will subside.
On Sunday, the Syrian government announced it was developing a national approach to combating hate speech. National institutions and experts from the Office of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria met to discuss priorities, coordination and preparations for a national policy. Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates organized the meeting at the Golden Mazzeh Hotel. The workshop examined public discourse, international principles and standards, approaches used in other countries, and the existing national framework and challenges.
The United States said it “supports a unified, sovereign Syria in which Kurds and all other communities enjoy equal citizenship, security, and meaningful participation in governance.” The State Department urged the Syrian government, which includes Kurdish leaders, and local authorities to uphold commitments, address concerns and take practical steps to rebuild trust.