Residents of the African Nation of Sudan

Residents of the African nation of Sudan recently cast votes in the first national election in over 20 years. Official results are still forthcoming, but early indications show that President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is set to win a landslide victory. Opposition parties are threatening to boycott the results, as a statement from the U.S. White House described the election as plagued by "serious irregularities" . Sudan remains a country with serious problems from conflict in Darfur and ongoing humanitarian crises in refugee camps and several drought-stricken regions. The election is also seen as prelude to another upcoming vote: a referendum of independence for Southern Sudan in 2011 that could create a new African nation. Collected here are recent photos from Sudan.