Deir Ezzor residents on Sunday (September 24th) established a civil council to administer areas liberated from the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS).

Two council co-chairs, their deputies and the members of various committees were elected during the meeting, and are to commence work immediately.

These committees will address all aspects of administration, from living conditions in the area to health care, the economy, education and security.

The Deir Ezzor Civil Council constituent council held an expanded meeting on Sunday, said Deir Ezzor native and conference participant Salem al-Hamoud.

Local residents and tribes were represented at the meeting, he told Diyaruna, as were al-Raqa and al-Tabqa civil councils and the Manbij civil administration.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Deir Ezzor Military Council also were represented at the meeting.

Participants affirmed the principle of participation by all ethnic and religious components in the administration of the Deir Ezzor region, as well as women and youth, and the need to take advantage of available expertise, al-Hamoud said.

"They set priorities for the upcoming period, which include caring for the displaced population and all segments of society, from the smallest village to major cities, with no resident to be excluded," he said.

Leadership elected

The meeting laid the foundation for the work to be undertaken in the upcoming period, and elected two council co-chairs, Laila Hassan and Ghassan al-Yousef.

Diab al-Jeelat, Ahmed al-Bataa, Kamal al-Mousa, Shamsa al-Hussein and Samer al-Abdullah were elected as deputy chairs, al-Hamoud said.

The council also identified the committees that are to commence work immediately.

These are the committees of education, services, municipalities and internal security, as well as protection, youth and sports, women, archaeology, culture, agriculture and livestock, the economy, martyrs’ families, social justice, finance, organisations and humanitarian affairs, councils organisation and health care.

Al-Hamoud said the council will expand its sections, plans and functions in the upcoming period through future meetings.

"The goal is that this council will become the nucleus of the council that will administer Deir Ezzor after it is fully liberated from ISIS, drawing upon all the available expertise of the region’s residents," he said.

The council has set up temporary headquarters in the town of al-Jazra until the city of Deir Ezzor is liberated, at which time it will relocate, al-Hamoud said.