Damascus, April 18 (RHC)-- Candidates for the upcoming presidential election in Syria can begin registering on Monday, April 21st, a report quoted a government source as saying. Damascus has said that it would go ahead with presidential election later this year before President Bashar al-Assad’s term ends on July 17th.

Meanwhile, one hundred armed men from al-Zabadani, Madaya and Buqeyn areas in the Damascus countryside turned themselves in to the Syrian authorities and handed over their weapons. Those who had not committed crimes were set free after pledging not to carry arms again or carry out any act that would destabilize the security of the country.

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. Over 150,000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by Western-backed militants.

According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.