Syria holds legislative elections in Kurdish-majority northeast

HASSAKEH, Syria (AP) — Syria held follow-up parliamentary elections on Sunday in the Kurdish-majority northeastern province of Hassakeh and the town of Kobani, areas that were reintegrated under government control after fighting in January.

Other parts of Syria voted for the People's Assembly last October, almost a year after the Assad dynasty was ousted in a rebel offensive. However, at that point, large swaths of country's northeastern region were still under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, notably Hassakeh and Kobani.

The country is still reeling from the devastating impact of its uprising-turned-civil war from 2011 until 2024, as skepticism remains among large segments of its minorities now living under Islamist rule, while millions of Syrians live in poverty.

In January, a government offensive against Kurdish fighters reintegrated that part of the country with Damascus, under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa's Islamist-led authorities.

The vote Sunday is for the remaining 11 seats in Syria's first parliament after the ouster of former President Bashar Assad. Nine of the seats represent Hassakeh and the other two Kobani in Aleppo province.

While parliamentary elections under Assad were not competitive and were ultimately an internal competition between members of the ruling Baath Party, the new model under al-Sharaa is not a fully democratic process either. Most seats in parliament are voted by electoral colleges in each of Syria's districts, with al-Sharaa directly appointing the remaining one-third of legislators.

Voters, however, appeared satisfied with the process as a step in Syria's transition after years of conflict and dictatorship.

“We want representatives who will amplify the voices of people the Hassakeh," Mukhalaf al-Hatthal, one of the voters in Qamishli, told The Associated Press. He said the biggest concerns are related to infrastructure, agriculture and maintaining peace. “There is a great democratic atmosphere here."

But Masoud al-Majeed, another member of the electoral college, said he hoped that the voting process will change, adding the current one does not represent everyone.

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Chehayeb reported from Beirut.

Election officials count ballots during follow-up parliamentary elections in Hassakeh, northeastern Syria, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)

Election officials verify voters' identification documents during follow-up parliamentary elections in Hassakeh, northeastern Syria, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)

A voter casts a ballot during follow-up parliamentary elections in Hassakeh, northeastern Syria, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)

Security forces stand guard outside a polling station during follow-up parliamentary elections in Hassakeh, northeastern Syria, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)

A voter casts a ballot during follow-up parliamentary elections in Hassakeh, northeastern Syria, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)

PARIS (AP) — Marta Kostyuk’s first-round win at the French Open became one of her toughest matches after she found out beforehand that a missile almost hit her parents' home in Ukraine.

Kostyuk fought back tears after beating Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 on Court Simonne-Mathieu on the opening day of the clay-court Grand Slam at Roland Garros in western Paris.

“I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career," the 15th-seeded Kostyuk said. “This morning, 100 meters away from my parents’ house, the missile destroyed the building and it was a very difficult morning for me ... I didn’t know how I would handle it, I’ve been crying part of the morning.”

She received a message at 8 a.m. and could not stop thinking what could have happened.

“I felt sick,” she said. “If it was 100 meters closer, I probably wouldn’t have a mom and a sister today.”

Her whole family was in the house, she said, 17 people in total, so her relief was enormous that no one was injured.

“I don’t want to think what I would do if something worse happened, but I knew that this is the day to go out and play,” she said. “It didn’t cross my mind today that I shouldn’t go out, because, you know, at the end of the day, everyone is alive.”

After the match, she thanked fans and received an ovation. Then she explained how she found the emotional and mental resources to play.

“I think it’s important to keep going. My biggest example is Ukrainian people, I woke up in the morning today and,” the 23-year-old Kostyuk said, becoming tearful before repeating and finishing the sentence.

“I looked at all these people who woke up and kept living their life, kept helping people who are in need,” she said. "I knew a lot of Ukrainian flags would be here today and a lot of Ukrainian people would come out, support. My friends from Ukraine came as well.”

When Kostyuk first served for the match at 5-1 she got broken. But she served it out on her next opportunity and waved to fans in the upper deck holding up a Ukraine flag.

She next plays unseeded American Katie Volynets and Kostyuk's countrywoman Elina Svitolina — a recent winner at the Italian Open in Rome — faces Anna Bondar on Monday.

Sunday's opening day saw players coping with high temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) — with the intense heat contributing to Frenchman Arthur Gea taking an emergency bathroom break early into his first-round loss to No. 13 Karen Khachanov on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

Spectators folded newspapers in half and fanned themselves to keep cool as players on court attempted to stay hydrated.

The opening match on Court Philippe-Chatrier saw No. 11 Belinda Bencic beating Sinja Kraus 6-2, 6-3.

The night match on Chatrier features three-time champion Novak Djokovic against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

Two days after his 39th birthday, Djokovic will play a men’s record 82nd Grand Slam tournament — one more than Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez.

AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Paris contributed to this report.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine signs autographs after winning against Oksana Selekhmeteva of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine celebrates as she won against Oksana Selekhmeteva of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine celebrates as she won against Oksana Selekhmeteva of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Arthur Gea of France warms up before the first round men's singles tennis match against Karen Khachanov of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)