Syria holds local elections amid violence (VIDEO)

Despite the violence and fighting between security forces and dissenters, voters in Syria still managed to rock the vote.

Although overall voter turnout is expected to be low, people were still showing up to cast votes for the 43,000 candidates running for the 17,588 seats available in the country's administrative units, reported MSN.

The elections are held as part of a reform movement the current regime, led by President Bashar al-Assad, is putting into place.

According to Al Jazeera:

"Information Minister Adnan Mahmud told AFP news agency on Monday that the elections were part of a reform package pledged by the authorities to promote democracy and would be followed by legislative polls in February."

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On Sunday, army defectors and government troops armed with tanks fought in southern Syria near the Jordanian border, reported Voice of America.

It was one of the largest clashes the country has seen in the past nine months.

"Another strike," reported MSN, "also shut businesses in a new gesture of civil disobedience."

Fighting is reported to continue throughout the northwestern region of Idlib and in the southern province of Deraa.

According to the BBC, Navi Pillay, the United Nations Human Rights commissioner, will brief the Security Council on the current state of affairs in Syria later today.

Last Friday, Pillay urged the UN to take "urgent action," before Syria breaks out into a full-fledge civil war.

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