Ilham Ahmed Calls for Effective Implementation of Kurdish Rights in Syria

Kurdistan 11:17 AM - 2026-10-12

Ilham Ahmed.

Kurdish politician Ilham Ahmed has said that the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army has helped improve stability and reconnect cities, but stressed that further work is needed to safeguard Kurdish rights and ensure meaningful participation by women.

Speaking at the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) Forum 2026 in Erbil on Monday, 12 October 2026, Ahmed said Syria was undergoing major political and social changes following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

“Following the fall of Assad, the integration of the SDF with the army, and the incorporation of factions into the army, we are witnessing a shift in the Syrian landscape,” she said.

Ahmed described the events in Syria as a revolution whose objectives were still being realised, adding that the country was undergoing a nationwide reconstruction process.

She said the integration process had helped reconnect Syrian cities and reopen border crossings, contributing to a degree of stability.

“The process has achieved a good level of success so far, and I can say it has helped consolidate a degree of stability,” she said.

Ahmed also highlighted the experience of the Autonomous Administration, saying it had provided a model for women's participation in public life and left a positive impression on Syrian society.

However, she warned that women's role had declined despite progress in the integration process, adding that while the process had achieved results in some areas, it remained a work in progress in others.

On Kurdish rights, Ahmed said the integration process had led to a presidential decree recognising the existence of the Kurdish people in Syria, their culture and language, and their place as an integral part of Syrian society.

She nevertheless argued that the decree remained incomplete in terms of implementation, particularly regarding the right to education in the Kurdish language.

Ahmed said practical mechanisms were still needed to implement the decree, adding that a lack of clarity surrounding decisions issued by the Syrian government had sometimes resulted in confusion and inconsistent implementation.

She also attributed recent tensions in Syria to what she described as persistent intolerance and racism, saying these attitudes were present among some domestic factions and were also being fuelled by external regional forces contributing to instability.

The remarks came during the two-day MERI Forum 2026, held in Erbil under the theme “In Our Shared Region: Promoting Stability, Cooperation and Prosperity”, bringing together political figures and experts to discuss key developments and challenges across the region.


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