Most of the main opposition parties in Sudan
are withdrawing from all the elections this month -
the first multi-party elections since 1986.
They won't take part because of concerns
about fraud and security.
On Wednesday, the presidential candidate
for the former southern rebels Yassir Arman pulled out.
President Obama's Special Envoy General Scott Gration
has been in Khartoum trying to save the elections.
James Copnall sent this report from Khartoum.
Several major opposition parties have announced
they will boycott the Sudanese elections at every level.
Earlier today, they told the BBC
they would boycott the presidential elections
in protest of what they believe will not be free and fair polls.
Now several of the parties have decided
not to compete in the parliamentary
 or state elections either.
The decision strikes a real blow
at the credibility of elections
which were meant to hold the democratic transformation in Sudan.