DAMASCUS: Syria has postponed parliamentary elections in three provinces due to security concerns following recent sectarian violence.
The Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections announced that voting will not proceed in Sweida, Hasaka and Raqqa provinces as scheduled.
This decision comes after hundreds were killed in July clashes within Sweida province involving Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes and government forces.
Israel conducted airstrikes during the conflict to prevent what it described as potential mass killings of Druze civilians by Syrian government forces.
The Druze represent a minority Islamic sect with significant populations across Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
Sweida province maintains a Druze majority population but also contains substantial Sunni tribal communities.
Longstanding tensions between these communities have historically centred around land disputes and resource allocation.
The electoral commission stated that voting in these three provinces will occur only when a safe environment can be established.
Seats allocated to Sweida, Hasaka and Raqqa will remain vacant until elections can be properly conducted there.
Commission spokesperson Nawar Najmeh emphasised that elections represent a sovereign matter requiring full government control.
The nationwide parliamentary vote for the 210-member People’s Assembly was originally scheduled for September 15-20. – Reuters
