Voting on secession begins in Sudan

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A weeklong election expected to divide the African nation of Sudan along religious lines was under way Sunday with icons on the ballots for illiterates.

The secession vote will run for seven days featuring ballots with icons showing two hands clasped together for a unity vote and a single hand for secession, the BBC reported. Some 3.8 million people are eligible to vote, the report said.

The country has been in violent turmoil for 22 years, particularly in the western Darfur region where Islamist militants are accused by international observers of murder and ethnic cleansing.

Northern Sudan is predominantly Muslim, while the south is home to mostly Christians, the British broadcaster said.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., was in the region as a private observer and mediator along with EU monitors in Africa's largest country, the report said.

In recent days, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir warned an independent south wouldn't be self-sustainable, the BBC said.

The final result will be announced Feb. 6.