Syria's President Assad to stand in next month's election

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during an interview with AFP at the presidential palace in Damascus on Jan 20, 2014. Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has registered to stand in next month's presidential election, which he is widely expected to
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during an interview with AFP at the presidential palace in Damascus on Jan 20, 2014. Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has registered to stand in next month's presidential election, which he is widely expected to win, parliament speaker Mohammed al-Lahham said on Monday, April 28, 2014. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP

DAMASCUS (AFP) - Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has registered to stand in next month's presidential election, which he is widely expected to win, parliament speaker Mohammed al-Lahham said on Monday.

The June 3 vote will be held despite a raging war that began with peaceful anti-government protests and morphed into an insurgency after Mr Assad's regime unleashed a massive crackdown against dissent.

The conflict is estimated to have killed more than 150,000 people.

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