Post-Regime Nowruz: Syrian Kurds celebrate in unprecedented festivities

Shafaq News/ Tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds gathered across northeastern Syria on Friday to celebrate Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year, marking the first large-scale festivities since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Kurdish cities witnessed unprecedented festivities as crowds lit the Nowruz fire—a symbolic act being openly performed for the first time since the regime’s collapse late last year.

The celebrations extended beyond Kurdish-majority regions such as Al-Jazira, Kobani, and Afrin, reaching Damascus, Aleppo, and even parts of Syria’s coastal areas.

Major gatherings also took place in Qamishli, Hasakah, and Derik, where thousands formed circles around the Nowruz fire, dancing to traditional Kurdish music. Locals in Sweida and coastal cities also ignited Nowruz flames, standing with the Kurds in celebration.

For many revelers, this Nowruz carried a profound sense of change. “After years of restrictions under Assad’s regime, we are witnessing mass participation for the first time. This Nowruz represents hope for a new Syria,” said Kawa Mahmoud, a festivalgoer in Qamishli’s countryside.

Mahmoud noted that Syrian Kurds are eager to turn the page on decades of Baathist rule and move toward greater freedoms. He added that recent political agreements between Kurdish factions and an evolving relationship between the Syrian Democratic Forces and Damascus have fueled optimism.

Rania Khalil, who fled Afrin, expressed hope that this year’s celebrations would mark the start of a return for those forced from their lands. “After years of displacement and hardship, we just want to go back and live in peace,” she said.

She also highlighted the cultural depth of Nowruz, noting that while the celebrations share common traditions across Kurdistan, each region has its own distinct customs. “For us, the joy of Nowruz is incomplete without celebrating it in Afrin,” she told Shafaq News.