At least three people have died in clashes between security forces and protesters in Mauritania, authorities reported on Tuesday, just days after the presidential election. An unspecified number of people were also injured.

Protests erupted in the capital and other parts of the country late on Monday following the declaration of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani’s victory. Ghazouani, a former army chief, secured a second term with a decisive first-round win.

Second-placed candidate Biram Dah Abeid, a prominent anti-slavery activist, denounced the election results, citing “massive fraud” and calling for “peaceful demonstrations and peaceful gatherings.”

Authorities confronted demonstrators in the southern city of Kaedi, an opposition stronghold with a predominantly Black population. Protests also broke out in Nouadhibou, Rosso Zoueirat, and Boghe, all of which are Abeid strongholds.

Following the clashes, mobile internet access was blocked, and authorities vowed to arrest those behind the violence. The electoral commission, which includes representatives of political parties, dismissed opposition claims of voting irregularities.

Three international election observer missions reported that voting was conducted in a “peaceful and transparent atmosphere.”

Despite accusations of corruption and mismanagement from his opponents, Ghazouani remains popular among Mauritanians who view him as a symbol of stability. Mauritania, the last country in the world to outlaw slavery in 1981, continues to face challenges with the practice according to human rights groups.