People Block Akkar Road Protesting Withdrawal of Municipal Chief from Polls

Supporters of incumbent municipal chief of Akkar al-Atiqa in the district of Akkar, Khaled al-Bahri, blocked roads on Saturday protesting his decision to resign and withdraw his nomination from the upcoming municipal elections, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The campaigners blocked the road with dirt in front of the polling stations in the Akkar Secondary School.

NNA said that al-Bahri took the decision after one of the candidates running for the municipal election set for Sunday, refused to withdraw his nomination in favor of an uncontested win agreement reached between the town's officials.

The officials are making the necessary contacts to end the dispute.

Army troops and the Internal Security Forces were dispatched to the area to control any potential of a security escalation.

The municipal and mayoral elections in the North and Akkar will be held on May 29.