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Post-Assad Syria to hold first parliamentary polls in September amid sectarian unrest
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, left, meets with Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, center, and Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections, right, in Damascus, Syria. AP
Syria will hold parliamentary elections in September, according to the president of the committee in charge of organising the election process, told state media on Sunday.
Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, head of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections, informed the state news agency SANA that polls will be held between September 15 and 20. They will be the first held by the country's new leaders following the fall of former President Bashar Assad in a swift rebel attack in December.
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One-third of the 210 seats will be appointed by temporary President Ahmad al-Sharaa, with the remainder to be elected.
Another election committee member, Hassan al-Daghim, stated in a recent interview with the Erem News website that an electoral college will be established in every Syrian province to cast votes for the elected seats.
In March, al-Sharaa signed a temporary constitution that called for the creation of a People's Committee to act as a makeshift parliament until the adoption of a permanent constitution and general elections are held, a process that may take years.
The recent announcement of upcoming polls coincides with a growing rift in the nation's opinion of the new Damascus government following sectarian violence in the southern province of Sweida earlier this month. The fighting killed hundreds of people and threatened to unravel Syria's fragile postwar transition.
The violent clashes, which broke out two weeks ago, were 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. Israel said it was acting to defend the Druze minority.
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