Shafaq News / Hundreds of Assyrians, Syriacs and Chaldeans celebrated on Thursday the Babylonian New year (Akitu) in the village of Kar Sharran in the countryside of Qamishli, the largest Kurdish city in the Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria.

The celebration was attended by David Brownstein, the US Deputy Special Envoy to Syria, and representatives of political parties, the Kurdish National Council and the Autonomous Administration.

The regions of Qamishli, Tal Tamr and Derik in the countryside of Hasakah are celebrating Akitu despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases without adhering to health measures.

Akitu is a spring festival held April, 1 for 12 days. The Babylonian and Assyrian Akitu festival has played a pivotal role in the development of theories of religion, myth and ritual.