After more than 26 years in exile, the well-known Syrian Kurdish novelist Jan Dost held a signing ceremony on Friday at the Damascus International Book Fair, which is taking place from February 5-16.

At the event, he presented a collection of his books in both Arabic and Kurdish, displayed at the Kurdish pavilion.

The fair marks the first international literary event held in Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

His participation in the Damascus book fair also led to criticism from some readers and intellectuals. 

In a Facebook post, Dost defended himself for participating in an event organized by the Syrian government, after heavy fighting took place between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and Damascus prior to a January 30 ceasefire.

“After the recent events that took place in Kurdistan and Syria, many things have changed. My views, like those of anyone else, change as well,” Dost said.

“I am at the Damascus Book Fair for books, writing, Kurdish culture, and the Kurdish struggle. My work is not politics, trade, or conflict. 

“For 26 years I was deprived of the land and people of Kurdistan. Now I am seeing my readers up close and we are having discussions. Syria is now accepted by all the forces of the world and the region. Otherwise, I too desire a unified Kurdistan, for which I have made many sacrifices. To those who are saddened and think differently about my going to Damascus, I ask for forgiveness.”

Read More: Jan Dost’s Safe Corridor Debuts in English

On August 15, Jan Dost’s book Safe Corridor, on the previous conflict in the Kurdish town of Afrin, was published for the first time in English.