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US deplores escalation of violence in Gabon: State Department

The US, EU and France all urged calm and called upon Gabonese authorities to release the results of individual polling stations for greater transparency

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US deplores escalation of violence in Gabon: State Department
A protester runs amid tear gas canisters during confrontations with the police in Libreville on August 31, 2016 as part of a protest sparked after Gabons president Ali Bongo was declared winner of last weekends contested election.
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The United States (US) on Thursday deplored violence in Gabon sparked by a disputed election and urged all sides to cooperate to prevent further unrest.

"We deplore the escalation of violence" following the release of election results, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a news briefing. 

"We urge all parties to come together peacefully" and halt a slide into further unrest, he said. 

On Thursday, Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping said two people were killed and many wounded when the presidential guard and police attacked his party's headquarters overnight after an election narrowly won by President Ali Bongo.

France, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) all urged calm and called upon Gabonese authorities to release the results of individual polling stations for greater transparency, while the United Nations also urged restraint.

Bongo won 49.80% of votes against 48.23% for Ping, on a turnout of 59.46%, according to results given region by region by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya.

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