Mali election runoff marred by intimidation

Acts of intimidation marred the final round of legislative elections in Mali on Sunday that aim to revive confidence in its embattled institutions despite a bloody jihadist conflict and a virus pandemic.

In central Mali, the president of a voting station was forcibly removed and representatives of the electoral commission "chased away by armed men", one of the representatives told AFP.

Military sources confirmed the incident.

Elsewhere, voting was cancelled after jihadists threatened to attack voters, witnesses said.

Already on Saturday, unknown assailants had destroyed voting equipment in northern Mali.

Polling stations in Bamako began to shut gradually after 1800 GMT, the official closing time, with the first provisional results to be announced at the start of the week.

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

"I voted. It is important despite the ...