KHARTOUM

 Polling stations in Sudan's 18 states closed Monday on the first day of the country's general elections.

The elections, which started on Monday and will last until Wednesday, are the first to be held in Sudan since the independence of the southern part of the country in 2011.

Up to 13 million Sudanese voters were expected to show up to vote in the three-day polls from 8am to 6pm as of Monday.

The polls, however, opened an hour later in four states, three of which are in the restive region of Darfur.

It is widely believed that incumbent President Omar al-Bashir, who has ruled the country for over 25 years, will win the elections.

Voters also will elect 425 members of the parliament and 2,235 members of state legislative assemblies. A total of 1,072 candidates will vie for seats in the National Assembly, while over 7,000 will run for state legislative assembly seats.

The Sudanese government on Sunday gave all civil servants nationwide a day off on the first day of the elections.