BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — The United States ambassador to Malawi has been caught up in political unrest as police fired tear gas while she met with an opposition leader.

The privately owned Nation newspaper reports that departing Ambassador Virginia Palmer was meeting on Thursday in the capital with Lazarus Chakwera. He finished a close second in last month's presidential election and has gone to court to challenge the results. His Malawi Congress Party supporters have been holding protests.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman confirmed the meeting at party headquarters near the embassy and told the newspaper that "as for the tear gas, we are monitoring the situation." The embassy did not immediately comment to The Associated Press.

President Peter Mutharika has urged post-election unity in the southern African nation while police have dispersed protesters.