Syria’s electoral commission announced Saturday that it will exclude the southern province of Sweida and two other areas from the upcoming parliamentary elections. The nation’s first parliamentary vote under its new Islamist administration, initially scheduled for September, now faces delays due to significant security concerns.
Sectarian Violence Rocks Sweida
July saw hundreds of people killed in Sweida province following intense clashes as Druze fighters battled Sunni Bedouin tribes and government forces in violent encounters. Consequently, Israel launched airstrikes, stating its intervention aimed to prevent mass killings of Druze by government forces.
The Druze, a minority offshoot of Islam, have followers spanning Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Sweida province primarily consists of Druze residents. However, it also hosts Sunni tribes, and these communities have long experienced tensions over land and other vital resources.
Widespread Delays Announced
The Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections confirmed further delays, with State news agency SANA reporting the postponement of the ballot in the northern provinces of Hasaka and Raqqa. Authorities will wait until they firmly establish a “safe environment” there before proceeding.
Nawar Najmeh, the commission spokesperson, informed SANA that seats allocated to these three provinces will remain vacant as elections will take place only when conditions allow. “The elections are a sovereign matter,” he explained, “that can only be conducted in areas fully under government control.”
Previously, the head of the electoral commission had announced that voting for the 210-member People’s Assembly would occur between September 15 and 20. This recent announcement consequently alters that timeline for a significant portion of the country.
