Vote counting in Zambia was temporarily suspended following alleged attacks on polling staff, according to the BBC. The country’s electoral commission said the violence had “resulted in the theft of marked ballot papers”.

The BBC reported that the halt affected presidential vote counting, underscoring the sensitivity of the process being interrupted while results were being tallied.

Later the same day, counting resumed after the pause, the BBC reported. The resumption came after the initial suspension prompted by the reported attacks on staff.

The electoral commission’s statement, as cited by the BBC, focused on the impact of the violence on the integrity of the ballots, noting that marked ballot papers had been stolen.

The available reporting does not specify who was behind the alleged attacks, how many polling locations were affected, or how the theft of marked ballot papers would be addressed. Those details were not included in the sources.

As of the latest available report, counting had restarted, but the sources do not provide information on final results or any further steps taken by the commission.