SYRIA will hold parliamentary elections in September, the head of a body organising the process told local media on Sunday.

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 September 15 and 20. 

They will be the first to take place since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December.

One third of the 210 seats will be appointed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida leader, with the rest 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.

A temporary constitution signed by President 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 after sectarian violence broke out in the southern province of Sweida earlier this month. 

The fighting killed hundreds and threatened to unravel Syria’s fragile post-war 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 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 piled in, bombing Syrian troops and the Defence Ministry in Damascus in what it said was an operation to defend the Druze.