Colombia election: Former Farc rebels face first ballot

Polls have closed in Colombia's congressional elections that saw former members of the Farc guerilla group take part for the first time.

The ex-rebels, now known as the Revolutionary Alternative Common Force (also Farc), were given 10 congressional seats as part of a historic peace deal signed in 2016.

But opinion polls give the left-wing group little chance of making gains.

The vote is being viewed as a test ahead of May's presidential elections.

First results are not expected until at least four hours after polls closed at 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT), and polling day as a whole is reported to have been the most peaceful in decades.

Analysts expect the composition of Colombia's Congress to remain largely the same, with conservative parties who oppose the peace agreement hoping to win an absolute majority.

The Centro Democratico party, led by former president and current senator Alvaro Uribe, is predicted to win the most seats.

Mr Uribe's party has fiercely opposed the peace deal and its members include some of the Farc's most vocal enemies.

 Source : bbc