Syrian President Bashar Assad was sworn in Saturday for a fourth seven-year term in the war-torn country.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at the presidential palace and attended by clergymen, members of parliament, political figures, and army officers.

Assad garnered 95.1% of the vote in the election, in which officials said turnout was 78.6% of some 18 million registered voters.

Assad took over in 2000 after the death of his father Hafez, who seized power in 1970.