Afghanistan election results due ‘in coming days’ as main candidate ends boycott of recount

Preliminary results from Afghanistan’s delayed presidential polls will be announced in the coming days, an election official said on Thursday, after a main candidate ended his boycott of a recount.

The country has been stuck in political limbo since the vote, with the two top candidates – President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah – locked in a close race.

The key recount and audit of votes from the September 28 election had been completed in all but one province, Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman Zabih Sadat told AFP.

The result was originally due on October 19 but was repeatedly delayed amid technical issues, as well as fraud allegations from Abdullah’s team. Abdullah last month withdrew his team’s election observers from an official recount. Last Friday, Abdullah said the recount could go ahead.