Thousands of opposition supporters and rivals backing President Faure Gnassingbe faced off in Lome yesterday, staging competing rallies nine days after Gnassingbe's disputed reelection.

Security forces intervened to form a barrier as rival marches bore down on a central square in the capital, averting potentially violent clashes amid a tense standoff.

Supporters of the ruling Rally of the Togolese People party quickly quit the scene.

But opposition marchers remained, vowing to regularly stage rallies in this tiny west African nation, ruled for 38 years by Gnassingbe's father, Gnassingbe Eyadema. Following his death, Gnassingbe took power in 2005.

Opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre claims he was robbed of victory by Gnassingbe in the March 4 presidential and supporters of his Union of Forces for Change (UFC) turned out in force for the protest, donning the party colour yellow.

"Every time, they rob us, but this time we will show them we are watching and will not give up," said Fabre supporter Yves Messan, a motorbike taxi driver.

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