Bashar Assad, the embattled president of Syria, has called for parliamentary elections to be held in April.
A UN Security Council resolution adopted in December stipulates parliamentary and presidential elections are to be held over an 18-month period of transition that would result in the termination of the protracted conflict in Syria.
However the country was already due for parliament elections, as the current parliament's term expires in May. On Monday, Assad issued a decree announcing the date for new parliamentary elections to be held April 13. Such elections are held once every four years.
The announcement came hours after the US and Russia agreed on a temporary ceasefire for Syria due to take effect Feb. 27, in spite of major issues regarding the enforcement of the truce were left unresolved.
