tanya page, with bagbo at the hague does the candidate have any competition? >> although there are seven presidential candidates he doesn't have any strong competition. he's the only one of the three dominant characters at ivoryian politics. doesn't really hold the confidence and support of many of bagbo's former supporters. they believe that he doesn't represent the ideals that they believed under bagbo and they're not going to vote for him. the other big character is not standing. he's in a coalition government at the moment and has sit out of this presidential race. that is a problem because it leaves to voter apathy which may damage the credibility of the selection and potentially some frustration which could result in some violence as well. >> that's what i wanted to ask you tanya about the general mood there, are there fears of violence? >> look, it's fair to say that at this time, at the last election, this was a very different country. and one really that was very tense, as well. this time around, things quite different. however, we know that in the we

b bagbo supporters say they will not vote >>> russia is willing to provide air sport for the syrians fighting islamic state of iraq and levant. until now they have been referring to all groups. the russian foreign minister sergey lavrov says america's unwillingness to cooperate is preventing moscow from supporting the free syrian army. >> translation: the americans refusal to coordinate their anti-terrorist campaign with us is a big mistake. we are seriously prepared for such a coordination, and are ready to give air support to the patriotic opposition including the free syrian army. we need to get in contact with the people that have the authority to representatives certain armed groups. >>> heavy fighting between pro-government forces and houthi rebels in tiaz left 17 dead. hundreds of civilians have been killed there. a houthi blockade of the city left residents with a shortage of food and no access to medical care. >> israel and jordan agreed on now measures to calm tensions over the al-aqsa mosque compound in east jerusalem. a key commitment is that rules allowing muslim to pray

despite alleged crimes by both sides, only bagbo has been held to account. there's some violence in the buildup to this election, but all the presidential candidates are calling for calm. he's widely expected to win, but he isn't leaving anything to chance campaigning until the last moment. his opponents accuse him of using influence to influence the election commission adding them to the rolls and sending his security forces to intim mags. he says he's the candidate who will bring reconciliation. he leads the party now, but his hard liners have joined a boycott. the incumbent says it's irrelevant. >> they want to break from it, because they can only one 1%. >> reporter: he thinks that the election is a joke, and the result may not be accepted. >> translator: we're hearing there might be some trouble, but this this will be good if it happens. we have a lack of leadership now that bagbo is in prison. >> reporter: many say they won't vote, but apathy is better than anger if it means a peaceful election. tonya page, al jazeera, ivory coast. >>> bulgaria, serbia

bagbo is awaiting trial in the hague and faces four counts of crimes against hiem knit arising from the violence in which 3,000 were killed. charges include rape and murder. the man that leads the popular front doesn't enjoy full party support, and many members say they will boycott the ballot. they're angry he hasn't been held accountable for the roles his fighters made. >> the reason i'm not voting last time. for reconciliation you need both sides involved and one side is in the hague. >> translator: i'm voting for him because of what he's done in the last few years. he's proved himself. >> reporter: an opposition stronghold's voting was slow. the biggest challenge for the next goth is an suring long-lasting piece. that may happen if everyone is engaged and vold in the political process. if the country's future economic success is equally shared, that may help. it will take more than an election to heal all the wounds here however peaceful it is. tonya page, al jazeera, ivory coast. >>> a comedian on the one hand and a former first lady on the other. both of them want to be the next p