Sri Lanka's former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa looks set to win a presidential election that has split the country along ethnic lines.

Axar.az reports citing BBC.

Official results are not confirmed but Mr Rajapaksa claimed victory and his rival Sajith Premadasa conceded.

Analysts say Mr Rajapaksa was the clear victor in Sinhalese majority areas while Mr Premadasa scored better in the Tamil-dominated north.

The election is Sri Lanka's first since a deadly terror attack in April.

Militants linked to the Islamic State group targeted churches and high-end hotels across the island on Easter Sunday, killing more than 250 people.