Syrians vote amid heavy security, scattered violence

Syrians went to polls across the country Monday as more than 7,000 candidates vied for 250 seats in parliament amid mounting international pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to step aside.

The opposition urged Syrians to boycott the elections, saying a vote for any of the candidates amounted to a vote for al-Assad.

"We are moving ahead till we topple the regime," read a slogan on an opposition election poster that purported to show its candidates: victims of al-Assad's violent crackdown on those calling for his ouster.