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More Afghan poll results expected Karzai widens lead in Afghan poll
(about 3 hours later)
Afghan election authorities are due to release more results from presidential polls after an early count gave incumbent Hamid Karzai a slight lead. Incumbent Hamid Karzai appears to have extended his lead in Afghanistan's presidential election, after more early results were released.
The results published so far suggest a straight contest between President Karzai and the opposition candidate, Dr Abdullah Abdullah. Mr Karzai has 45% to his nearest rival Abdullah Abdullah's 35%, with 17% of ballots counted, vote officials say.
Poll authorities are releasing results on a daily basis, with a further 10% anticipated in this latest batch. Results are being released daily and final figures are due in September.
Final results are not expected for several weeks. Widespread accusations of fraud and vote rigging and concerns about low voter turnout have cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election.
Early days
With 940,000 votes counted, the election commission said on Wednesday that Mr Karzai had 422,000 votes, compared with 330,000 for Mr Abdullah.
Ramazan Bashardost was on 108,000, and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai fourth on 28,000.
A candidate needs more than 50% of votes to avoid a run-off.A candidate needs more than 50% of votes to avoid a run-off.
There have been a series of accusations of fraud and vote rigging, which have cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election. The BBC's Ian Pannell in Kabul says this is still a small fraction of the overall count and it will take some time for a fuller picture to emerge.
Other leading candidates: Ramazan Bashardost 53,740 (10.2%)Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai 15,143 (2.9%) Winning candidate needs more than 50% of votes to avoid a run-off Analysts say any preliminary claims about the result must be viewed with caution in the light of the allegations of fraud, corruption and ballot-stuffing and concerns about low voter turnout, especially in the south.
A BBC correspondent says the electoral authorities are receiving hundreds of complaints each day. The official adjudicators, the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), are investigating more than 1,000 complaints of fraud and irregularities and, out of these, at least 50 are considered to be very serious.
With 10% of the ballots counted, the election commission on Tuesday said Mr Karzai had 212,927 votes, compared to 202,889 for former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah. Our correspondent says there are also fears that supporters of the losing candidates could take to the streets if they feel that the election has not been legitimate.
Afghan and Western officials have declared last Thursday's poll a success, despite concerns about the turnout, especially in the insurgency-wracked south. The international community is urging patience and calm until all complaints have been investigated and the final results are announced.
Some feel Afghan and Western officials were too swift to declare last Thursday's poll a success, despite concerns about the turnout, especially in the insurgency-wracked south.
Violence
The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said there were more than 400 insurgent attacks on election day, which would make it one of the most violent days in Afghanistan since 2001.The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said there were more than 400 insurgent attacks on election day, which would make it one of the most violent days in Afghanistan since 2001.
A huge blast in the southern city of Kandahar on Tuesday left more than 40 people dead. Just hours after the first results on Tuesday, a huge bombing in the southern city of Kandahar left more than 40 people dead.
It came on the same day four US soldiers were killed, making 2009 the deadliest year for foreign troops in Afghanistan since the US-led overthrow of the Taliban in 2001.
On Wednesday, a bomb attack in Kunduz in the north-east killed the head of the province's justice department, Qari Jahangir, police said.
The Taliban said they killed Mr Jahangir but have denied carrying out the Kandahar attack.
Correspondents say the militants often deny responsibility for attacks in which civilians are killed.
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