Togolese flee to Benin, Ghana
Violence erupted after election
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 Gnassingbe took more than 60 percent of the vote in Togo.
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(CNN) -- The U.N. refugee agency Saturday said thousands of Togolese are fleeing to neighboring west African countries because of the political violence and instability in Togo this week.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees report said, "more than 11,500 refugees having crossed over into neighboring Benin and Ghana by Saturday. This was up from 7,000 on Friday."
UNHCR's head of West Africa operations, Michel Gaude, said the welcome has been friendly.
"Many of the arrivals say they are concerned about the general situation in Togo after the elections, but that they hope to be able to return in the coming days, as the situation returns to normal."
A UNHCR convoy with supplies left the agency's warehouse in the Ghana's capital of Accra Saturday, "bound for Benin via Burkina Faso. The trucks are carrying tents, plastic sheeting, blankets, jerry cans, soap and other supplies," said a statement issued by the organization.
"The journey is expected to take four days and is taking the indirect route through Burkina Faso because of security concerns in Togo."
African diplomats are trying to help restore stability to Togo, where violence erupted after Sunday's president election.
The son of Togo's longtime military ruler won the election in nearly four decades with more than 60 percent of the vote, election officials announced Tuesday.
Both the declared winner of the vote, ruling party leader Faure Gnassingbe (prono: Far Na-SEEM-bay), and opposition candidate Emmanuel Bob Akitani have pledged to honor the outcome of Sunday's election.
But the results prompted clashes between opposition supporters and police in Togo's capital, Lome.
Opposition leaders accused the government of widespread irregularities, including the use of inflated voter lists, during Sunday's balloting.
Sunday's vote was Togo's first presidential contest in four decades. It followed the 38-year rule of Gnassingbe's father, Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema, whose death in February sparked a political crisis.
