Police in Belarus are "in control of the situation" amid opposition protests after a tense presidential vote that critics say was rigged, said state media.

"Police are in control of the situation at unsanctioned mass events," Belta cited the interior ministry as saying, following clashes in the capital Minsk and other cities.

Longtime Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko won Sunday's presidential election with 79.7 percent of the vote, according to the official exit poll, after a tense campaign that saw a woman opposition candidate posing a historic challenge.

Main opposition challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came second with 6.8 percent, according to the poll for state broadcaster MIR.

AFP