Off the wire
• New round of Libyan peace talks kick off in Algeria  • 1st LD: Guinea's opposition leader vows more protests on Tuesday  • UNHCR seeks solution on refugees in Kenya  • Chinese Super League soccer results  • 2nd LD Writethru: Gun shots heard in Guinea protest  • Urgent: Casualties reported in clashes between Guinean police and protesters  • Champions League derby is balanced 50-50, Ancelotti says  • Kenyan pavilion official defends choice of Chinese artists at Venice Biennale  • City council votes in favor of Paris' bid for 2024 Olympics (updated 2)  • Roundup: Taliban bombing kills 2 Afghan policemen, security forces kill 12 militants  
You are here: 　 Home

Roundup: Voting in Sudan's troubled areas proceeds calmly despite rebel threats

Xinhua, April 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Despite previous threats by rebels to cripple Sudan's elections, the voting, which started on Monday, has so far been rather smooth.

In Sudan's South Kordofan State, which has been witnessing armed clashes between the Sudanese army and rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector since 2011, the turnout rate has been pretty high.

"The polling stations in South Kordofan are witnessing a remarkable rush by the voters, Omdah Mohamed Rabie, a local observer, told Xinhua, adding that there is a real willingness among the Sudanese to exercise their constitutional right, and the rebels' threats have obviously not worked.

Earlier, Sudan's National Elections Commission (NEC) announced that the polling process would be delayed in seven constituencies in South Kordofan State out of security concerns.

In the Blue Nile state, another conflict-torn region, the voting has also proceeded well since the polls opened.

"The polling process is continuing calmly. There are no any security problems threatening the electoral process", Yousif Al-Tayeb, a local observer, told Xinhua from Damazin, the capital city of Blue Nile State.

He reiterated that the security conditions in Blue Nile State were stable, pointing out that "there are intensive preparations by all security and military forces to confront any sabotage acts by the rebels.

Last February, the Revolutionary Front, an alliance bringing together the SPLM/northern sector and three Darfur rebels movements, announced the launching of a military campaign to cripple the elections at the areas where the front is fighting.

Earlier on Monday, the voters in Sudan started casting their votes to elect a president and members for the national and state parliaments amid boycotting by most of the opposition parties.

About 13.6 million registered voters around the country will cast their ballots at 7,000 polling stations.

The polling process is to last till Wednesday. The final results of the elections are scheduled to be announced on April 27. Enditem