A large electoral tent in southern Syria used for campaigning for long-term President Bashar al-Assad was struck with a mortar shell Thursday, killing at least 21 people and wounding many more.

These actions appear to be part of a larger initiative to disrupt the upcoming June 3 elections. Elections that opposition leaders have publicly called a "sham" as al-Assad is widely believed to win his third term in office since first gaining power in 2000.

Like Us on Facebook

This is the latest attack in the ongoing 3 year conflict between loyalists of the Ba'ath government, who gained control over the country in 1963, and rebels seeking to overthrow it. The conflict reportedly first started in the southern city of Daraa, where the recent attack took place.

The overnight attack was first reported by state media late Thursday with a death toll released on Friday. An unspecified number of civilians were also wounded in the attack.

Though there was no claim of responsibility for the attack, it is strongly believed to be the work of the rebel forces from the Free Syrian Army group. A group who have previously fired many mortar shells into major cities throughout Syria. Mortar fire that is believed to be coming mainly from opposition-held suburban areas.

It is believed there were an estimated 100 people in the tent at the time of the attack, with many being members and officers of pro-Assad militias. Current reports range between 21 and 25 dead.

It is believed to be in retaliation for the recent government-led assault on the northern city of Aleppo, the largest city in the country, which had been under partial control of rebel forces since 2012.

President Assad has rarely been seen in public since the conflict started in March 2011, and despite his recently announced candidacy for re-election, has not been seen campaigning for his cause. The last time Assad was seen in public was April 20, when local state television broadcast a visit by the statesman to the Christian village of Maaloula, recently recaptured by government forces.

Assad first gained power following the death of his father and predecessor Hafez al-Assad, who had ruled Syria since 1971 after participating in several coups culminating in his ascension to the presidency.

Controversy arose when an election law was recently passed in the Syrian government prohibiting opposition leaders to compete in the elections, provoking outrage on the side of the rebellion and music and festivities on the part of Assad-loyalists.

The conflict has raked up a total death toll of over 160,000 people as what was initially known as an uprising in the wake of the Arab Spring revolutions developed into a full blown civil war. Millions have been displaced with many formerly flourishing cities reduced to war-torn rubble.

The Ba'ath government is supported in the conflict by Russia and Iran, whereas the rebels are supported by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States. The conflict has been called by analysts a "proxy war" between predominantly American interests and their Russian-Iranian counterparts. It has also, however, involved the Lebanese anti-Zionist group Hezbollah, which has sided with Assad and provided the Syrian government with military aid since last year.

As over a million Syrian refugees have also sought shelter in Lebanon, reported strife and outbursts of violence have arisen among both the refugees and within Lebanese groups, divided internally between the two sides of the conflict.

Despite official statements from both sides denying any overtly religious nature of the conflict, a 2012 UN report claims the incumbent Ba'ath government consists mainly of sectarian Shia groups whereas the rebels are predominantly Sunni Muslims.

TagsSyrian Uprising, Daraa, Bashar al-Assad, Hezbollah, proxy war, Lebanon, Damascus, Free Syrian Army, Arab Spring, Aleppo, Hafez al-Assad, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Shia, Sunni, Islam