Parliamentary elections in Syria postponed

Syria is preparing for its first parliamentary elections following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad last December. Despite Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara's emphasis on the need to hold elections in all Syrian provinces, a new decision has been made regarding the elections scheduled for September. In a statement issued by the High Committee for Parliamentary Elections in Syria, it was reported that the parliamentary elections would be postponed in the provinces of As-Suwayda, Al-Hasakah, and Raqqa "until a secure environment is established."

Speaking to the Syrian state news agency SANA, High Committee Spokesperson Nawar Najmeh said that the seats allocated to the three provinces where the elections were postponed would remain vacant until the elections are held. Najmeh stated, "Elections are a sovereign matter that can only be conducted in areas fully under government control."

The Chairman of the High Committee for Parliamentary Elections in Syria, Mohammed Taha Al-Ahmad, stated in a statement last month that the number of seats in the People's Assembly would be increased from 150 to 210 and that the elections were planned to be held between September 15-20.

HAD BEEN THE SCENE OF VIOLENT CLASHES

On Sunday, July 13, clashes broke out in the city of As-Suwayda between armed Druze groups and Bedouin Arabs, with both sides kidnapping and detaining some civilians. Syrian Minister of Defense Major General Murhaf Abu Kasra had announced a ceasefire in the Druze-majority city of As-Suwayda during the clashes.

However, the ceasefire was broken on Wednesday, July 16, and clashes between government forces and Druze groups resumed. With the resumption of clashes, Israel, using the safety of the Druze population as a pretext, carried out airstrikes on the area in the capital Damascus where the Presidential Palace is located, as well as on the General Staff Headquarters and the city of Daraa. A ceasefire was reached on the same day with Turkey's intervention, and units affiliated with the Syrian army withdrew from As-Suwayda.

Taking advantage of the clashes that restarted on Thursday evening, the Israeli army carried out an airstrike on As-Suwayda. The US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, announced in a post on his social media account during the night that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara had reached an agreement on a ceasefire, which was also supported by Turkey, Jordan, and neighboring countries. The Syrian Presidency also declared a comprehensive ceasefire yesterday.

News Source: İHA