To West Africa now, and Mali is dealing with election troubles of its own. A coalition of 18 presidential candidates say they will not accept the results at polling stations affected by irregularities. Sunday's vote took place amid severe security concerns. Militants are known to launch attacks in the country. And while vote counting is taking place, they've already claimed lives. CGTN's Peninah Karibe is in Bamako and filed this report.

It's been days since Mali held its presidential elections. And still no word on the results. The vote was meant to bring stability to a country that's still recovering from a coup six years ago.

Counting continues. But already the opposition is crying foul.

MODIBO KONE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MALE, FRENCH "There was voter buying, some voters missed their voters cards in some polling stations which denied them their right to vote and yet those cards that were missing were later used fraudulently. Some polling stations did not have voter registers.

The results are due on Friday. But opposition candidates say they won't accept the results.

MODIBO KONE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MALE, FRENCH "Considering these irregularities we will not accept the results from those areas affected by all these irregularities. We are appealing to both local and international observers to examine and analyse these claims as neutral parties."

Irregularities aren't the only concern, though. At least four soldiers and eight suspected jihadists have been killed in an ambush in central Mali.

And it's feared the death toll will rise. Violence disrupted voting at several polling stations on Sunday. It's believed hundreds of stations could not vote.

PENINAH KARIBE, BAMAKO, MALI "The EU observer mission has welcomed the decision to make public the number of polling stations that had not been able to function but they have also urged the government to give more precise information about the ones affected."

The latest announcement by the opposition has raised concerns even as the UN puts pressure on all sides to accept the results, or at least contest through legal channels, to avert a political crisis. PK, CGTN, BAMAKO, MALI