Guineans Mass Around Precincts Awaiting Poll Results

Crowds gathered outside voting precincts in Guinea’s capital Tuesday, waiting for results from Sunday’s presidential runoff election.

Security forces surrounded the counting centers in Conakry to prevent street fighting of the kind that erupted during the runoff campaign.

Former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo is favored to defeat longtime opposition figure Alpha Conde after winning the first round in June with 44 percent of the vote.

Supporters of the two men clashed in Conakry and other cities in the weeks before the vote. The two candiates and election observers are calling on both candidates to accept the election results and avoid more violence.

Provisional results from the runoff are expected Wednesday. But that deadline may slip because of delays in transporting results from rural polling stations.

Ethnic tension marred the campaign and led to street fighting. Mr. Diallo belongs to the Fulani, Guinea’s largest ethnic group, while Mr. Conde comes from the smaller Malinke community.

Many Guineans are concerned violence could erupt again when a winner is named.

The presidential election is designed to return Guinea to civilian rule after decades of dictatorship and a two-year military junta.

The runoff was postponed four times before Sunday because of the violence, political disputes and logistical problems

Some information in this story was provided by AP and Reuters.