The Syrians began on Sunday morning to vote in a referendum on extending President Bashar al- Assad's term in office for another seven years.

Polling stations, opening at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT), were set up in all Syrian ministries, departments, establishments, factories, hospitals and border checkpoints, the official SANA news agency said.

The results could be announced by Interior Minister Bassam Abdel-Majeed as early as Monday.

Celebrations across the country were held over the past weeks in preparation for the referendum and more are expected after the results are released.

Syria's People's Assembly (parliament) has unanimously approved the candidature of the 41-year-old president for a second term earlier this month.

Assad, a sole candidate in the referendum, is widely expected to get more than the 51 percent of the votes required by law to enable his second term.

Assad succeeded his late father Hafez Assad in July 2000 who had died the previous month. Official figures then showed that Bashar received about 98 percent of voter support.

Source: Xinhua