Sisi, Sabahi vote in Egypt presidential elections

Frontrunners in Egypt's presidential election former army chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi have cast their votes.
Sisi, the man favoured to win the elections, cast his ballot in Cairo amidst heavy security.
Army helicopters circled overhead as Sisi arrived at a polling station in Cairo's Heliopolis neighbourhood.
Sisi, who toppled Egypt's first freely elected leader Mohamed Morsi last July is widely regarded as the north African nation's de facto leader.
His sole competitor Sabahi, finished third in the 2012 election which brought Morsi to power.
Polling stations opened at 9.00 a.m. (0600 GMT) and although the result appears a foregone conclusion, a big turnout would be seen as a strong mandate for Sisi's rule.
Sisi made no public appearances at campaign rallies in the run-up to the vote, due to what his campaign team said were security concerns. In contrast Sabahi toured the country for weeks to drum up support.
Supporters regard Sisi, who resigned from the military earlier this year, as a decisive figure who can stabilise Egypt, a strategic U.S. ally in the heart of the Arab world.
His opponents, mostly in the Islamist opposition, say he is the mastermind of a coup that robbed Egypt's first freely-elected leader of power.
Rights activists have also criticised the imprisonment of liberal activists by the interim government, which Sisi played a prominent role in before resigning to run for president.
Sisi told journalists at the polling station that Egyptians have a historic opportunity in the elections, which will take place over two days.
"Today, Egyptians are coming out to write their history, and to underline their future," Sisi said. "The whole world is watching us. How Egyptians will make history and create the future today and tomorrow. I will not tell the people except that God will hopefully stand by Egypt and help us all. The future will be great God willing.
"(I am telling the Egyptian people) that they have to be comfortable that tomorrow will be beautiful and great to all of us. The turnout, God willing, will be beautiful and great God willing. Long live Egypt."
Security forces have largely driven the Brotherhood underground after hundreds were killed and thousands arrested. More than a thousand Brotherhood supporters have been sentenced to death on charges including inciting violence after the army overthrew Morsi.
Monitors from the European Union and U.S.-funded Democracy International are observing the vote, and more than 400,000 security forces have been deployed to secure polling stations across the country.
Sisi secured 95 percent of votes cast in advance by Egyptians overseas, but an opinion poll by the Washington-based Pew Research Center suggests a more mixed picture inside Egypt, with Sisi viewed favourably by 54 percent and unfavourably by 45 percent