Al-Hasakah protests demand full Syrian state control
Shafaq News- Damascus
Thousands of demonstrators from across Syria’s Al-Hasakah province gathered in the city’s central public square on Friday, demanding Syrian state authority across the entire province, a Shafaq News correspondent reported.
The rally was held under the slogan “No flag but the flag of the Syrian Arab Republic.” Several solidarity demonstrations also took place in Raqqa city and surrounding rural areas in support of the Al-Hasakah protesters.
القوات الأمنية وعناصر مكافحة الشغب يتدخل ليُجبر المتظاهرين على التراجع ويمنعهم من الاقتراب من الأحياء ذات الغالبية الكردية بمدينة #الحسكة https://t.co/GlWxn3Yn6C https://t.co/UhjUqNXWZj
— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) October 9, 2026
In Raqqa, a Shafaq News correspondent reported that some protesters came under gunfire and were prevented from reaching the city center, and groups that called for the demonstrations accused groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Youth Movement* of being behind the incidents.
The rally marked the second consecutive Friday of demonstrations. On October 2, protesters also called for the reactivation of government institutions, faster integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state institutions, and an end to overlapping security and administrative authority.
On October 7, eight Kurdish political parties urged calm, saying the earlier protests had been primarily limited to members of the Arab community and warning that unilateral demonstrations could deepen social tensions. They called for public demands to be addressed through peaceful channels and said government authorities were responsible for maintaining security and stability.
Under the January 29 agreement between Damascus and the SDF, military and security forces are to be integrated into the Defense and Interior ministries, while civilian institutions and public facilities are to come under state authority. The SDF formally dissolved as an independent military force on August 25, with its fighters integrated into Syrian army brigades.
Read more: Kurds in Syria: From marginalization to a defining political force
* In a 2024 report, Human Rights Watch said the Revolutionary Youth Movement of Syria described itself on an archived webpage as part of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) Youth Council. HRW said its review found the group ideologically aligned with the PYD and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Successive UN reports attributed 60 verified cases of child recruitment to the group between 2019 and 2023, according to HRW, while Syrians for Truth and Justice documented 43 cases in the first half of 2023. The PKK told HRW in September 2024 that it had no organizational relations with youth movements in Syria, while the SDF and the Autonomous Administration did not respond to HRW’s August 26, 2024 questions about the group’s role in child recruitment.
