A presidential election held on Sunday in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia produced no clear winner, setting up a second round between the top two candidates, state news agency Apsnypress said.

By bne IntelliNews Badra Gunba claimed victory over his opponent Adgur Ardzinba in the second round of presidential polls in the Russia-backed Georgian region of Abkhazia on March 1. Rivals Gunba and Ardzinba represent two polarised political camps that have alternately held power in the Abkhaz government for the past two decades.

Pro-Russian politician Badra Gunba was declared the winner of the runoff presidential election in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, officials said Sunday. Abkhazia is recognised by most of the world as Georgian territory but has been under de facto Russian control since a brief 2008 war between Georgia and Russia.