HASAKAH, Syria — Yazidis across northeast Syria gathered this week to celebrate Red Wednesday, the Yazidi New Year, after the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria officially recognized the occasion as a public holiday. The move is part of a broader effort to preserve and promote the region’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious identity.
Festivities were organized primarily by the Yazidi House, a cultural institution supported by the Autonomous Administration. The organization plays a key role in preserving Yazidi heritage and supporting community cohesion in the aftermath of years of persecution.
Northeast Syria has become a haven for ethno-religious minorities, including Yazidis, Syriac Christians, Armenians, and others. These communities have faced repeated persecution, from the Ottoman Empire to the Ba’ath regime and, more recently, the Islamic State (ISIS).
General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, issued a public message congratulating the Yazidi people, expressing hope for a prosperous year ahead. He reaffirmed the commitment of both the SDF and the Autonomous Administration to supporting the rights and aspirations of the Yazidi community.
While the fall of the Ba’ath regime has brought renewed hope to many, concerns remain among minority groups about the commitment of the new government in Damascus to pluralism, due to past affiliations of key figures with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and ISIS.
In the northeast, the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Council continue to stress that genuine decentralization and formal recognition of minority rights—including the right to cultural and political self-determination—are essential for Syria’s long-term stability and unity.