Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Syria and have been demanding greater political rights for decades.

So far, Kurds, many of whom were never granted citizenship, have not joined the armed conflict.

Since the uprising started, the government has granted citizenship to an estimated 200,000 of them.

Despite the Syrian government's effort to persuade them to stay, many are fleeing the violence into Iraq.

Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports from Domis in northern Iraq.