Polls close in Sudan's presidential, legislative elections after 4-day vote

KHARTOUM, Sudan – Polls have closed in Sudan's presidential and legislative elections, with President Omar al-Bashir expected to extend his 25-year rule following an opposition boycott of the vote.

Polling centers closed at 7:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) Thursday and ballot counting will start on Friday. Results are expected on April 27.

Nearly 13 million people were registered to vote at some 11,000 polling centers.

Polling centers were largely deserted in the capital Khartoum during the vote, which began Monday and was extended for an extra day.

Ibrahim Ghandour, a top presidential aide, says the government is "quite satisfied with the turnout of the people."

Al-Bashir clung to power through the economically crippling secession of oil-rich South Sudan, and is the only sitting world leader wanted by the International Criminal Court on genocide charges.