Mauritanians began voting on Saturday to decide whether to re-elect President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani as the leader of their desert nation, an oasis of peace in Africa's turbulent Sahel region.

Approximately 1.9 million registered voters will choose from seven candidates aiming to lead the expansive country.

An AFP journalist observed voters lining up at two polling stations located in a school in the center of the capital Nouakchott before polling commenced at 07:00 GMT. 

"I am here to fulfill my civic duty to complete the democratic process that began some decades back," Mohamed Salem M'Seika, a 50-year-old voter, said.

Kertouma Baba, 26, said he wanted "progress in education and opportunities for the youth". Polling is set to close at 19:00 GMT, and the first results are expected on Saturday evening.

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Official results are expected to be announced on Sunday or Monday. The 2019 election brought Ghazouani to power, marking the first peaceful transition between two elected presidents since independence from France in 1960, following a series of coups from 1978 to 2008.

Former general Ghazouani is widely expected to win a second term, with observers suggesting a potential first-round victory due to divisions among the opposition and the resources at the president's disposal.

If a second-round vote occurs, it will take place on July 14. Campaigning was mostly peaceful, except for minor scuffles reported on Monday in the northern town of Nouadhibou, where supporters of one candidate attacked backers of another candidate, according to the interior ministry.