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Syria's Kurdish region to boycott presidential elections

The Democratic Union Party, the leading Kurdish party in northern Syria, says the region will not actively take part in the Syrian presidential elections.
Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) members stand guard during a Labour Day celebration in Efrin May 1, 2014. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hebbo (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST SOCIETY) - RTR3NEUG

QAMISHLI, Syria — The newly established canton administrations in Syria will not allow the Syrian government to place election ballot boxes in Kurdish-controlled cities in northern Syria on June 3. Only in the cities of Qamishli and Hasakah, where there is still a regime presence, will the government be able to install ballot boxes.

The Syrian government sent 350 ballot boxes to Qamishli's airport and 70 to Hasakah. Syrian citizens will be allowed to vote with their identity cards in regime-controlled security areas in Hasakah and Qamishli city, and in the military base and airport of Qamishli.

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