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December 30, 2024

Syria's De Facto Leader Says It Could Take Four Years to Organize Elections
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The leader of the armed groups who toppled longtime Syrian dictator
Bashar al-Assad says it could take as long as four years for Syria to
hold elections. Ahmed al-Sharaa made the comments in an interview with
the Saudi Al Arabiya network, saying it will take time to organize a new
census, and up to three years to draft a new constitution. Al-Sharaa
also said his paramilitary group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham would soon be
dissolved.

Elsewhere, civil defense groups say 11 people were killed - most of them
civilians - after an Israeli airstrike triggered a massive blast at a
weapons depot near the Syrian capital Damascus. This follows dozens of
Israeli airstrikes on Syria's military infrastructure in recent weeks.


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