The central operations room of the municipal and mayoral by-elections announced that all polling stations were opened Sunday morning in regions where elections took place

The central operations room of the municipal and mayoral by-elections in the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities announced that all polling stations were closed Sunday evening in regions where elections took place.

The elections took place in 17 villages and towns in the districts of Mount Lebanon, the Bekaa, North, and South amid the deployment of security forces and soldiers to ensure security and safety of voters.

The Akkar region of al-Qoubaiyat witnessed a heated battle between the rival March 8 and 14 camps with voters in nearby regions voting at 31 stations distributed in al-Qobeiyyat, al-Bireh, Kroum Arab, al-Sahleh, and Rmah, reported various media outlets. Elsewhere in the northern region of Akkar, elections took place in the town of Qlaiaat.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel later said from al-Qoubaiyat: "The by-elections confirm that despite all the incidents democracy still exists in Lebanon."

In Aley, by-elections underwent in the towns of al-Kahhaleh and Sarahmoul. Six ballot boxes were delivered to al-Kahhaleh and one to Sarahmoul, Naharnet said.

In Zgharta, some 170 residents, of 713 registered voters, of the town of Basloukit are expected to vote for the nine-member municipal council.

In the South, 27 candidates ran for the municipal seats in the Jezzine town of Kafarhouna.

Some municipal councils had already won uncontested while others are likely to witness fierce battles between the March 8 majority and March 14 alliance candidates, the website added.