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Ashraf Ghani Looking at Another Term in Office

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KABUL – Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani is looking towards another five-year term in office as the preliminary results showed him winning 50.64 percent of the votes in the September 28 elections.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced the results on Sunday in which Dr. Ashraf Ghani is at the lead while his nearest rival Abdullah Abdullah comes second with 39.52 percent votes. Former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar is currently third with 3.85 percent of the votes. It’s important to note that the election was marred by protests and allegations of fraud.

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The results, originally scheduled to be announced on October 19, have been repeatedly delayed with IEC officials citing technical issues, allegations of fraud and protests from candidates.

Afghanistan’s Unity Government, formed by the United States, has seen Ghani and Abdullah share power over the last five years following a standoff in the wake of allegations of fraud in the controversial 2014 polls. Results were not announced then because of accusations of widespread fraud resulting in the two leading candidates agreeing to share power.

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The preliminary results come amid year-long peace negotiations between the Taliban and the US in which the Afghan government has been side-lined, being repeatedly dismissed by the Taliban as a puppet of the US with no real power.

The US has about 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan as part of the US-led coalition, training and advising Afghan forces and conducting counter-terrorism operations.

The IEC has not announced a date for the final results.

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