A government soldier assaulted Osman Masbal Kashib, the leader of the National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP) on Tuesday in a polling station for the Darfur Referendum in East Darfur state, a party member said.

Hamid Osman Ibrahim told Radio Tamazuj that Kashib was seriously injured and was taken to Ad Daein hospital for treatment. The party member added that several women leaders of the NLJP party in the state were also harassed by members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

Ibrahim said they would open a case with the police over the incident. He pointed to challenges facing the voting process, while accusing officials in charge of polling stations of interfering with the voting process.

He claimed they observed cheating cases in the voting process, saying a number of people were allowed to vote even without identification cards.

Ibrahim added that children also voted with fake names and that some people cast their votes with identity cards although their names were not on the voters' list.

The NLJO member further noted that they distanced themselves from participating in the Darfur referendum, while accusing the ruling NCP party of targeting whoever supports establishment of the Darfur region.

The referendum is meant to allow citizens of Darfur to determine whether the region should keep its five states or unite as one entity with a semi-autonomous administration.

The vote is expected to maintain the five-state system, which Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's ruling party says is more efficient but which observers say gives Khartoum greater control over Darfur.

The poll will end on 13 April.