Syria to hold first Parliamentary elections since Assad's fall in September
Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections, told state news agency SANA that elections will take place between Sept 15 and 20. They will be the first to take place under the country's new authorities after the fall of former President Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December.
One third of the 210 seats will the appointed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, with the rest to be elected.
In a recent interview with the Erem News site, another member of the elections committee, Hassan al-Daghim, said an electoral college will be set up in each of Syria's provinces to vote for the elected seats.
A temporary constitution signed by al-Sharaa in March called for a People's Committee to be set up to serve as an interim parliament until a permanent constitution is adopted and general elections held, a process that could take years.
The announcement of impending elections comes at a time when the country is increasingly divided in its views of the new authorities in Damascus after sectarian violence broke out in the southern province of Sweida earlier this month. The fighting killed hundreds of people and threatened to unravel Syria's fragile postwar transition.
Violent clashes broke out two weeks ago, sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings between armed Bedouin clans and fighters from the Druze religious minority.
Syrian government forces intervened, ostensibly to end the fighting, but effectively sided with the clans. Some government fighters reportedly executed Druze civilians and burned and looted houses. Israel intervened, launching airstrikes on government forces and on the Defense Ministry headquarters, which it said was in defense of the Druze minority.
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Fresh Clashes In Syria As Interim Government Struggles To Ease Tension
BEIRUT: New outbreaks of violence overnight into Sunday rocked Syria at two distinct flashpoints, straining a fragile ceasefire and calling into question the ability of the transitional government to exert its authority across the whole country. In the north, government-affiliated fighters confronted Kurdish-led forces who control much of the region, while in the southern province of Sweida, they clashed with Druze armed groups. The outbreaks come at a time when Syria's interim authorities are trying to maintain a tense ceasefire in Sweida province after clashes with Druze factions last month, and to implement an agreement with the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that would reintegrate large swaths of northeastern Syria with the rest of the country. The Syrian government under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been struggling to consolidate control since he led a surprise insurgency that ousted former President Bashar Assad in December, ending the Assad family's decades-long autocratic rule. Political opponents and ethnic and religious minorities have been suspicious of Sharaa's de facto Islamist rule and cooperation with affiliated fighters who come from militant groups. State television said clashes between government forces and militias belonging to the Druze religious minority rocked the southern province of Sweida on Saturday after Druze factions attacked Syrian security forces, killing at least one member. The state-run Alikhbaria channel cited an anonymous security official who said the ceasefire has been broken. The Defence Ministry has not issued any formal statement. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said in addition to the members of the security forces killed, one Druze was killed and at least nine others were wounded in the clashes that took place in the western part of Sweida province. The Observatory said the clashes took place at the strategic Tal al-Hadeed heights that overlook Daraa province next door. State media says that aid convoys continue to enter Sweida city as part of a tense truce after over a week of violent clashes in July between Druze militias and armed Bedouin clans backed by government forces. However, humanitarian conditions remain dire, and residents of Sweida have called for the road into the city to be fully opened, saying the aid that has come in is not enough. The clashes that displaced tens of thousands of people came after months of tensions between Damascus and Sweida. The fighting led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze minority, who are now sceptical of peaceful coexistence. Druze militias retaliated against Bedouin communities who largely lived in western areas of Sweida province, displacing many to neighbouring Daraa. Elsewhere, in the northern Aleppo province, government-affiliated fighters clashed with the SDF. The Defence Ministry said three civilians and four soldiers were wounded after the SDF launched a barrage of rockets near the city of Manbij "in an irresponsible way and for unknown reasons." SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami, on the other hand, said the group was responding to shelling by "undisciplined factions" within government forces on Deir Haffar, an eastern city in the same province. The eastern part of Aleppo province straddles areas controlled by the government and by the SDF. Though the two are slowly trying to implement a ceasefire and an agreement that would integrate the areas under Damascus, tensions remain. "The Ministry of Defence's attempts to distort facts and mislead public opinion do not contribute to security or stability," Shami said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. In Quneitra province, in the south, the Israeli military announced it conducted another ground operation in the area that borders the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. It said its troops questioned several suspects they accused of involvement in weapons trafficking in the village of Hader, and raided four areas where they found weapons being trafficked. Since Assad's ouster, Israel has conducted numerous strikes and military operations in southern Syria, saying its forces are taking out militant groups that they suspect could harm Israelis and residents in the Golan Heights. Damascus has been critical of Israel's military activity, and the two sides have been trying to reach a security arrangement through US -mediated talks. Syria has repeatedly said it does not intend to take military action against Israel. Those talks intensified after Israel backed the Druze in Sweida during the earlier clashes. Israel struck military personnel near the southern city and most notably launched an airstrike targeting the Defence Ministry headquarters in the heart of Damascus.
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First Post
6 hours ago
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Post-Assad Syria sees fresh violence as Druze, SDF clash; Israel raids southern border
New outbreaks of violence overnight into Sunday rocked Syria at two distinct flashpoints, straining a fragile ceasefire and calling into question the ability of the transitional government to exert its authority across the whole country. read more Bedouin fighters rest in the shade of a house as Syrian government security forces block them from entering Sweida province, in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Sunday, July 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) Syria was shaken by renewed violence overnight into Sunday with fresh clashes reported in two volatile regions, further undermining a fragile ceasefire and raising concerns over the interim government's ability to assert control nationwide. In the country's north, pro-government forces engaged in skirmishes with Kurdish-led troops who currently hold sway over much of the area. Simultaneously, armed confrontations broke out between state forces and Druze militias in the southern province of Sweida. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The renewed fighting comes as the transitional authorities attempt to uphold a tenuous truce in Sweida, following previous clashes with Druze fighters last month. They are also working to enforce a pact with the Kurdish-led, US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to reintegrate large parts of north eastern Syria into the national fold. Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who rose to power after leading an unexpected rebellion that unseated long-time ruler Bashar Assad in December, has faced persistent challenges in stabilising the country. His leadership—marked by Islamist affiliations and support from aligned militant factions—has drawn scepticism from opposition groups as well as ethnic and religious minorities. On Saturday, state television reported violent encounters between government forces and Druze militias in Sweida province. According to the state-run Alikhbaria network, an unnamed security source confirmed that the ceasefire had collapsed after Druze fighters attacked Syrian security personnel, resulting in at least one fatality. The Defense Ministry has not released any official comment. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that, along with one security officer killed, a Druze fighter also died in the violence, and at least nine others were injured. The group said the confrontation took place in the Tal al-Hadeed area—an important high ground that borders neighbouring Daraa province. State media says that aid convoys continue to enter Sweida city as a part of a tense truce after over a week of violent clashes in July between Druze militias and armed Bedouin clans backed by government forces. However, humanitarian conditions remain dire, and residents of Sweida have called for the road into the city to be fully opened, saying the aid that has come in is not enough. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The clashes that displaced tens of thousands of people came after months of tensions between Damascus and Sweida. The fighting led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze minority, who are now skeptical of peaceful coexistence. Druze militias retaliated against Bedouin communities who largely lived in western areas of Sweida province, displacing many to neighboring Daraa. Elsewhere, in the northern Aleppo province, government-affiliated fighters clashed with the SDF. The Defense Ministry said three civilians and four soldiers were wounded after the SDF launched a barrage of rockets near the city of Manbij 'in an irresponsible way and for unknown reasons.' SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami on the other hand said the group was responding to shelling by 'undisciplined factions' within government forces on Deir Haffar, an eastern city in the same province. The eastern part of Aleppo province straddles areas controlled by the government and by the SDF. Though the two are slowly trying to implement a ceasefire and agreement that would integrate the areas under Damascus, tensions remain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The Ministry of Defense's attempts to distort facts and mislead public opinion do not contribute to security or stability,' Shami said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. In Quneitra province, in the south, the Israeli military announced it conducted another ground operation in the area that borders the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. It said its troops questioned several suspects they accuse of involvement in weapons trafficking in the village of Hader, and raided four areas where they found weapons being trafficked. Since Assad's ouster, Israel has conducted numerous strikes and military operations in southern Syria, saying its forces are taking out militant groups that they suspect could harm Israelis and residents in the Golan Heights. Damascus has been critical of Israel's military activity, and the two sides have been trying to reach a security arrangement through U.S.-mediated talks. Syria has repeatedly said it does not intend to take military action against Israel. Those talks intensified after Israel backed the Druze in Sweida during the earlier clashes. Israel struck military personnel near the southern city and most notably launched an airstrike targeting the Defense Ministry headquarters in the heart of Damascus. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Hans India
7 hours ago
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Fresh clashes break out in Syria as interim government struggles to ease tensions
New outbreaks of violence overnight into Sunday rocked Syria at two distinct flashpoints, straining a fragile ceasefire and calling into question the ability of the transitional government to exert its authority across the whole country. In the north, government-affiliated fighters confronted Kurdish-led forces who control much of the region, while in the southern province of Sweida, they clashed with Druze armed groups. The outbreaks come at a time when Syria's interim authorities are trying to maintain a tense ceasefire in Sweida province after clashes with Druze factions last month, and to implement an agreement with the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that would reintegrate large swaths of northeastern Syria with the rest of the country. The Syrian government under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been struggling to consolidate control since he led a surprise insurgency that ousted former President Bashar Assad in December, ending the Assad family's decades-long autocratic rule. Political opponents and ethnic and religious minorities have been suspicious of Sharaa's de facto Islamist rule and cooperation with affiliated fighters that come from militant groups. State state television said clashes between government forces and militias belonging to the Druze religious minority rocked the southern province of Sweida on Saturday after Druze factions attacked Syrian security forces, killing at least one member. The state-run Alikhbaria channel cited an anonymous security official who said the ceasefire has been broken. The Defence Ministry has not issued any formal statement. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said in addition to the member of the security forces killed, one Druze was killed and at least nine others were wounded in the clashes that took place in the in the western part of Sweida province. The Observatory said the clashes took place at the strategic Tal al-Hadeed heights that overlook Daraa province next door. Difficult conditions in Sweida State media says that aid convoys continue to enter Sweida city as a part of a tense truce after over a week of violent clashes in July between Druze militias and armed Bedouin clans backed by government forces. However, humanitarian conditions remain dire, and residents of Sweida have called for the road into the city to be fully opened, saying the aid that has come in is not enough. The clashes that displaced tens of thousands of people came after months of tensions between Damascus and Sweida. The fighting led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze minority, who are now sceptical of peaceful coexistence. Druze militias retaliated against Bedouin communities who largely lived in western areas of Sweida province, displacing many to neighboring Daraa. Elsewhere, in the northern Aleppo province, government-affiliated fighters clashed with the SDF. The Defense Ministry said three civilians and four soldiers were wounded after the SDF launched a barrage of rockets near the city of Manbij 'in an irresponsible way and for unknown reasons." SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami on the other hand said the group was responding to shelling by 'undisciplined factions' within government forces on Deir Haffar, an eastern city in the same province. The eastern part of Aleppo province straddles areas controlled by the government and by the SDF. Though the two are slowly trying to implement a ceasefire and agreement that would integrate the areas under Damascus, tensions remain. 'The Ministry of Defence's attempts to distort facts and mislead public opinion do not contribute to security or stability,' Shami said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Israeli forces carry out raids bordering annexed Golan Heights In Quneitra province, in the south, the Israeli military announced it conducted another ground operation in the area that borders the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. It said its troops questioned several suspects they accuse of involvement in weapons trafficking in the village of Hader, and raided four areas where they found weapons being trafficked. Since Assad's ouster, Israel has conducted numerous strikes and military operations in southern Syria, saying its forces are taking out militant groups that they suspect could harm Israelis and residents in the Golan Heights. Damascus has been critical of Israel's military activity, and the two sides have been trying to reach a security arrangement through US-mediated talks. Syria has repeatedly said it does not intend to take military action against Israel. Those talks intensified after Israel backed the Druze in Sweida during the earlier clashes. Israel struck military personnel near the southern city and most notably launched an airstrike targeting the Defense Ministry headquarters in the heart of Damascus.
