Afghan Candidates Engage in Last-Minute Talks to Resolve Election Crisis, Reports Reuters

By Mirwais Harooni and Maria Golovnina

KABUL – Afghan presidential candidates Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani engaged in last-minute discussions on Monday in an attempt to resolve a standoff regarding the outcome of a contentious election, as officials once again postponed the announcement of preliminary results.

The deadlock surrounding the June 14 runoff has dampened hopes for a smooth power transition in Afghanistan, posing challenges for the West amid the ongoing withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from the country this year.

Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission had initially planned to announce the results of the June 14 runoff at 2 p.m. local time but later indicated that the announcement would be delayed by several hours.

The reason for the postponement was unclear, occurring as rival factions sought a last-minute compromise to avoid a prolonged period of uncertainty in the nation without a universally accepted leader.

Ghani’s team stated that both sides had agreed to audit an additional 7,100 polling stations to ensure the integrity of the final results, but aides from Abdullah’s camp indicated that this agreement was not yet finalized.

Both rounds of voting aimed at selecting a successor to President Hamid Karzai have been marred by widespread allegations of fraud, and a refusal from either candidate to acknowledge the results could potentially fracture the already fragile nation along ethnic lines.

Abdullah, a former anti-Taliban fighter, continues to assert that results should be delayed until fraudulent votes are excluded. Ghani, an ex-World Bank official, is believed to be leading in the second round.

Mujibul Rahman Rahimi, a spokesperson for Abdullah, mentioned, “Our meetings continued until midnight, and there were some improvements, but we haven’t reached a final agreement.”

Azita Rafhat, a spokesperson for Ghani’s team, stated that both sides had agreed to expand the investigation into fraud beyond the 1,930 polling stations currently under audit.

“We have consented to audit ballots from 7,100 polling stations in 10 provinces for greater transparency,” Rafhat commented.

Abdullah, who is of mixed Pashtun and Tajik heritage, garners significant support from the Tajik community in northern Afghanistan. In contrast, Ghani, with a background as a World Bank economist, enjoys strong backing from Pashtun tribes in the southern and eastern regions. A refusal by either candidate to accept the election outcome could lead to a crisis, exacerbating tensions between these ethnic groups and sparking violent conflict.

Without a clear leader, Afghanistan risks fragmenting into competing territories based on tribal affiliations or even reverting to the civil war that plagued the nation in the 1990s.

However, both camps seemed inclined to seek a resolution on Monday. The official final results are anticipated on July 22, allowing election officials time to conduct a thorough investigation into fraud that would satisfy both parties.

Ghani’s representatives claim he leads in the runoff by at least one million votes.

Abdullah accused Karzai, who shares Pashtun heritage, of facilitating alleged electoral manipulation favoring Ghani. He stated he would accept the results only if clear evidence of fraudulent votes being discarded were presented, ensuring the final tally remains legitimate.

As tensions escalated in recent weeks, concerns about deeper ethnic divisions and potential violence escalated unless both candidates agree to honor the election results or reach a compromise.

In the backdrop, Taliban insurgents continued to pose a significant security threat, having pledged to disrupt the electoral process. On Monday, they attacked a district police chief in Herat and targeted a checkpoint in northern Afghanistan.