Mali votes despite virus, security fears

Malians headed to the polls on Sunday for a long-delayed parliamentary election just hours after the country recorded its first coronavirus death and with the leading opposition figure kidnapped and believed to be in the hands of jihadists.

There were security fears about the vote even before the war-torn West African country recorded its first coronavirus infection on Wednesday.

Some 200,000 people displaced by the near-daily violence in Mali's centre and north will not be able to vote, because "no mechanism has been established" for them to do so, a government official said.

There were also fears that the impoverished state of some 19 million people -- where large swathes of territory lie outside state control -- is particularly exposed to a COVID-19 outbreak.

Late Saturday, just hours before polls opened at 0800 GMT Sunday, the country's first coronavirus death was announced, with the number of infections rising to 18.

"I came to vote, but I'm afraid," said Souleymane Diallo, a 34-year old teacher. "As you can see there's nobody here. Maybe because it's the morning, but it's also not surprising because of the situation."