Damascus, May 26 (TIWN) Syria's polling stations opened on Wednesday across government-held areas in a Presidential election which is expected to give incumbent Bashar al-Assad a fourth term in office.

Syrian television showed long of queues of people at polling stations, which opened at 7:00 am (local time), DPA reported.  "We are proud to come and take part in this election as it is our national duty," a woman told Syrian television in Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria. 

The broadcaster showed people dancing and waving Syrian flags as well as pictures of al-Assad infront polling stations in various areas in Damascus and Sweida, in south-western Syria.  More than 18 million Syrians are eligible to vote in and outside the country, Interior Minister Mohammed al Rahmoun said on Tuesday, adding that a total of 12,102 polling stations were set up. 

Al-Assad, 55, is expected to win a fourth seven-year term in office in Wednesday's vote, which the opposition has dismissed as a sham.  Syria's Supreme Constitutional Court has approved three candidates to run in the presidential race, including al-Assad.  The two others are Abdullah Salloum, a former minister, and Mahmoud Marai, an opposition figure opposition tolerated by the regime and living in Damascus.