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alalam

Sudan's national election commission has extended voting for two days due to some logistical problems at the beginning of the country's first elections in 24 years.

"The number of voting days has been extended by two further days in all of Sudan" from three days to five, national election commission spokesman Salah Habib said.

The vote, which was originally scheduled for three days, kicked off on Sunday with reports of delays.

"We decided to extend for two days, Wednesday and Thursday, so the whole process will be five days long," the National Election Commission (NEC) said in a statement.

"The decision is based on the results of the first day and to enable all the electors to vote and to compensate the lost time due to errors and obstacles of the first day," the NEC said.

On Sunday, the NEC admitted there had been some technical "mistakes" including polling stations not opening, ballot papers not being delivered or going to the wrong places.

But the southern Sudan People's Liberation Movement said they wanted voting extended further.

"I appreciate the effort of the NEC. We had requested for four more days... With two days we are quite satisfied... but we are still thinking it is not enough. We are going to press for more," Samson Kwaje, campaign manager for southern leader Salva Kiir told reporters.

Sudanese were voting on Sunday to choose their president as well as parliamentary and state representatives, in the country's first multi-party elections in 24 years.