Syria's parliamentary elections have begun, with over 3-thousand 500 candidates vying for 250 parliamentary seats. The voting period coincides with a second round of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva on Wednesday.

7,300 polling stations have opened in government-controlled areas at 7 am local time. Authorities said the polling process will continue for at least 12 hours.

The polls come amid violence that has surged in recent days, threatening a fragile six-week ceasefire. The vote is the second ballot since the beginning of the conflict in 2011. In the current and the last elections, the opposition has announced a boycott.