Amid violent protests and military action, Togo is going ahead with its parliamentary elections with voting scheduled for today.
The protesters want President Faure Gnassingbe to resign.
Citing irregularities, a 14-party opposition coalition has appealed to Togoleses to boycott the polls.
Gnassingbe has been in power since 2005 after succeeding his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled the country with an iron first for 38 years.
Earlier this month, at least four people were killed when opposition supporters clashed with the security forces in the capital Lome and several other cities across the country. The opposition put the figure at six dead.
"We have always said no to these elections, we will do what we can so that they don't take place," coalition co-ordinator Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson said this week.
"The government does what it wants in the country," a source within the Panafrican National Party (PNP) told AFP.
Aljazeera
