DAMASCUS — Syria will hold its first parliamentary elections since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, with voting scheduled to take place between 15 and 20 September, the head of the election organising body told state media on Sunday.

Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, confirmed the dates to the state-run SANA news agency.

The elections will be held under the authority of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who took power following a rapid rebel advance that ousted al-Assad in December.

One-third of the 210 seats in the new assembly will be appointed directly by al-Sharaa, while the remaining two-thirds will be filled through provincial-level elections.

In an interview with the Erem News website, committee member Hassan Al-Daghim said that electoral colleges would be established in each province to oversee the voting for the elected seats.

A temporary constitution, signed by al-Sharaa in March, established a People’s Committee to serve as a transitional parliament until a permanent constitution is enacted and full national elections are held, a process expected to take several years.

The announcement comes amid heightened political uncertainty and deepening divisions over Syria’s new leadership, particularly after a wave of violence, between the Bedouin and Druze communities, erupted in Suwayda earlier this month.

Clashes between the two groups spiralled into heavy fighting that left hundreds dead and threatened to destabilise the postwar transition.

Though Syrian government troops intervened, their actions have been criticised. Some government forces allegedly sided with the Bedouins, reportedly carrying out executions against Druze civilians and looting homes in Druze areas.

The violence also drew in Israel, which launched airstrikes targeting Syrian government positions, including the Defence Ministry headquarters, citing the need to protect the Druze minority as justification for its intervention. — Euronews