DAMASCUS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Syrians in a number of foreign countries began casting their ballots for the Syrian presidential elections Thursday ahead of next week's vote inside the country, state news agency SANA reported.
As scheduled, the Syrians abroad started voting for the presidential elections in the embassies and consulates of Syria in some Arab and other countries, while Syrians inside the home country are set to vote on May 26.
People are choosing from three presidential candidates, namely President Bashar al-Assad, former deputy cabinet minister Abdallah Saloum Abdallah, and Mahmoud Ahmed Marei, head of a small Syria-based opposition party.
The elections have been slammed by the United States and its allied Western countries as well as foreign-backed exiled Syrian opposition parties.
However, the Syrian government is promoting the elections and encouraging people to take part in the vote to determine "the future of Syria."
