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| Afghan incumbent leading in vote | |
| (2 days later) | |
| Afghanistan's election commission has released further results from the 20 August presidential poll, still showing the incumbent president in the lead. | Afghanistan's election commission has released further results from the 20 August presidential poll, still showing the incumbent president in the lead. |
| It said the ballots from 47.8% of polling stations had now been counted. | It said the ballots from 47.8% of polling stations had now been counted. |
| Hamid Karzai has gained 45.8% of the votes tallied, with his nearest rival, Abdullah Abdullah, at 33.2%, the independent commission reports. | |
| Final results will not be made official until major fraud allegations are investigated by election officials. | Final results will not be made official until major fraud allegations are investigated by election officials. |
| 'Mutilated for voting' | 'Mutilated for voting' |
| A candidate must win 50% of the votes cast to avoid a second round which, if needed, would be held in October. | |
| ANALYSIS Chris Morris, BBC News, Kabul | ANALYSIS Chris Morris, BBC News, Kabul |
| With results now declared from nearly half of all polling stations across the country, Hamid Karzai is maintaining his lead over his nearest challenger, Abdullah Abdullah. | With results now declared from nearly half of all polling stations across the country, Hamid Karzai is maintaining his lead over his nearest challenger, Abdullah Abdullah. |
| He has not yet crept over the 50% mark - which would bring victory without the need for a second round - but he is pretty close. And relatively few votes have been counted so far from southern Afghanistan, where Mr Karzai would expect to do well. | He has not yet crept over the 50% mark - which would bring victory without the need for a second round - but he is pretty close. And relatively few votes have been counted so far from southern Afghanistan, where Mr Karzai would expect to do well. |
| But the south is also where many of the claims of mass fraud have been made, so we are approaching what could be the most controversial period of the election. | But the south is also where many of the claims of mass fraud have been made, so we are approaching what could be the most controversial period of the election. |
| Earlier, the independent Electoral Complaints Commission said it would investigate 618 major allegations of vote fraud deemed serious enough to affect the election's outcome, if proven. | |
| More than 2,000 allegations of fraud and intimidation have been made. | More than 2,000 allegations of fraud and intimidation have been made. |
| In an example of the extreme threats which confronted voters, an Afghan man said on Monday that Taliban militants had cut off his nose and both ears as he tried to vote. | In an example of the extreme threats which confronted voters, an Afghan man said on Monday that Taliban militants had cut off his nose and both ears as he tried to vote. |
| "I was on my way to a polling station when Taliban stopped me and searched me," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency from his hospital bed in Kabul. | "I was on my way to a polling station when Taliban stopped me and searched me," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency from his hospital bed in Kabul. |
| After finding his voter registration card, the militants mutilated him and beat him unconscious with a weapon, he said. | After finding his voter registration card, the militants mutilated him and beat him unconscious with a weapon, he said. |
| "I regret that I went to vote," he added. "What is the benefit of voting to me?" | "I regret that I went to vote," he added. "What is the benefit of voting to me?" |
| Dr Abdullah has told the BBC that it is impossible for Mr Karzai to win in the first round without massive fraud. | Dr Abdullah has told the BBC that it is impossible for Mr Karzai to win in the first round without massive fraud. |
| He says there are thousands of witnesses to irregularities. | He says there are thousands of witnesses to irregularities. |
| A source close to Mr Karzai has responded by saying there is a complaints process to be followed and that now is not the time for pointing fingers. | A source close to Mr Karzai has responded by saying there is a complaints process to be followed and that now is not the time for pointing fingers. |