Relief in Afghanistan after largely peaceful landmark poll

Monday, 7 April 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Afghanistan’s presidential election closed on Saturday amid relief that attacks by Taliban fighters were fewer than feared for a vote that will bring the first-ever democratic transfer of power in a country plagued by conflict for decades. It will take six weeks for results to come in from across Afghanistan’s rugged terrain and a final result to be declared in the race to succeed President Hamid Karzai.

This could be the beginning of a potentially dangerous period for Afghanistan at a time when the war-ravaged country desperately needs a leader to stem rising violence as foreign troops prepare to leave. “Today we proved to the world that this is a people driven country,” Karzai, wearing his trademark green robe and a lambskin hat, told his nation in televised remarks. “On behalf of the people, I thank the security forces, election commission and people who exercised democracy and ... turned another page in the glorious history of Afghanistan.” One of the eight candidates will have to score over 50% of the vote to avoid a run-off with his nearest rival. Thankfully, the Taliban threat to wreck the vote through bombings and assassination failed to materialise, and violent incidents were on a far smaller scale than feared. Turnout was seven million out of 12 million eligible voters, or about 58%, according to preliminary estimates, Election Commission Chief Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani told reporters. That was well above the 4.5 million who voted at the last election in 2009 which was marred by widespread fraud.