Mali holds election runoff, despite virus and jihadist threats

Mali was voting Sunday in the final round of a legislative election that aims to revive public faith in the country's embattled institutions despite a bloody jihadist conflict and looming viral pandemic.

The election has been repeatedly delayed, and the first round on March 29 was disrupted by jihadist attacks and intimidation, including the kidnapping of opposition leader Soumaila Cisse.

"I voted. It is important despite the economic situation. We need new MPs to consolidate our democracy," Moussa Diakite, a 23-year-old student, told AFP after polls opened. Voters in the West African nation of 19 million people are casting their ballots in the runoff for 147 seats in the National Assembly.

The country is struggling with an Islamist revolt that has claimed thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

Polling stations opened at 0800 GMT in the capital Bamako and also in other provinces hard hit by the insurgency, and will go on until 1800 GMT.

The first ...