The Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria denied that the municipal elections, scheduled for June 11, were postponed due to external pressure, asserting that the delay was due to “popular demand.”
Ilham Ehmed, the co-chair of the Foreign Relations Authority in the Autonomous Administration, stated on Thursday, June 13, that the municipal elections are a “restoration process for service institutions working to rehabilitate what the Turkish state destroyed amid international silence.”
She explained that the electoral process was a popular demand arising from the “Conference of the Sons of the Island and the Euphrates” in 2019, following consultative meetings with local residents, but the elections were postponed for security reasons.
Ehmed mentioned that the Autonomous Administration was surprised by the negative reactions from many international parties to this step, which was outlined in UN Resolution 2254 on Syria.
In an interview with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, she said that the initiatives proposed for resolving the Syrian crisis are merely “bidders’ desires” and a waste of time, indicating a clear disconnection from Syrians’ needs.
Ehmed highlighted the absence of a comprehensive solution benefiting Syrians, emphasizing that the Autonomous Administration seeks a “Syrian national solution” that maintains Syria’s unity in a “decentralized” manner and strengthens its people without external interference.
Regarding communication channels with the regime and the opposition, Ahmed mentioned that there are proposals with both, but these are “liquidation projects at the expense of the Syrian people.”
She noted that the “national opposition” is excluded from these proposals and is not collaborating with them. Ehmed stressed that opening channels of dialogue with Syrian parties is central to the administration’s agenda, as they believe that a solution requires consensus among Syrians, with independent decision-making in determining Syria’s future being essential for any agreements.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
