DAMASCUS — The speaker of the People's Council of Syria said Monday that presidential elections would be held on June 3, 2014, amid a civil war that has killed more than 150,000 people.

Delivering a speech during a session of parliament, Mohammad Jihad al-Laham said candidacy applications will start Tuesday. He said candidates could register to run for the presidency until May 1.

Presidential elections of the Syrian Arab Republic will be held on June 3 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., al-Laham said.

Syrians living abroad can cast their votes at Syrian embassies in the countries in which they live, beginning May 28, the speaker said.

The three-year conflict in Syria has internally displaced more than 6.5 million people, according to the UN, and more than two million Syrians are now registered as refugees in neighboring countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.