Syrian election officials have started counting votes in the country's epic presidential election, hours after polling stations closed at midnight.
Voting is under way in Syria's presidential election amid heightened security.
One of President Bashar al-Assad's two challengers in next month's election has praised his military campaign against extremist militants.
Syria has expressed regret about a decision by the French government to not allow Syrians living in France to participate in the upcoming presidential vote at the Syrian Embassy in the European country.