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Top Afghan election official quits over fraud claims | Top Afghan election official quits over fraud claims |
(35 minutes later) | |
A senior Afghan election official at the centre of fraud claims in the presidential run-off vote has resigned. | A senior Afghan election official at the centre of fraud claims in the presidential run-off vote has resigned. |
Zia ul-Haq Amarkhail said he was stepping down "for the sake of national unity", denying allegations of ballot box-stuffing earlier this month. | Zia ul-Haq Amarkhail said he was stepping down "for the sake of national unity", denying allegations of ballot box-stuffing earlier this month. |
His resignation comes after audio tapes were released allegedly revealing that Mr Amarkhail was trying to influence the outcome of the vote. | His resignation comes after audio tapes were released allegedly revealing that Mr Amarkhail was trying to influence the outcome of the vote. |
They were published by the camp of one of the candidates - Abdullah Abdullah. | They were published by the camp of one of the candidates - Abdullah Abdullah. |
However, his rival Ashraf Ghani has also made allegations of fraud. | However, his rival Ashraf Ghani has also made allegations of fraud. |
The official results of the 14 June run-off are yet to be published. | The official results of the 14 June run-off are yet to be published. |
'Stuffed sheep' | 'Stuffed sheep' |
In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, Mr Amarkhail tendered his resignation on national television. | In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, Mr Amarkhail tendered his resignation on national television. |
He vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying he had been the victim of a plot. | |
He also described the tapes as "fake" and blamed the country's security services for interfering in the election. | He also described the tapes as "fake" and blamed the country's security services for interfering in the election. |
In an apparent reference to ballot box-stuffing, the tapes appear to show Mr Amarkhail urging a colleague to "bring the sheep stuffed and not empty". | |
The reference to sheep and goats - ballot boxes and people or votes - is made several times during the recorded exchanges. | The reference to sheep and goats - ballot boxes and people or votes - is made several times during the recorded exchanges. |
Reacting to the latest developments, Mr Abdullah said the resignation of Mr Amarkhail had opened the door for discussions with Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission. | Reacting to the latest developments, Mr Abdullah said the resignation of Mr Amarkhail had opened the door for discussions with Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission. |
Mr Abdullah also said his recent decision to stop co-operating with the election authorities had not been intended to disrupt the process, but to prevent a fraudulent election result and to protect people's votes. | Mr Abdullah also said his recent decision to stop co-operating with the election authorities had not been intended to disrupt the process, but to prevent a fraudulent election result and to protect people's votes. |
The resignation could be a first step towards ending the deadlock which threatened to plunge the country into chaos, the BBC's Karen Allen in Kabul reports. | The resignation could be a first step towards ending the deadlock which threatened to plunge the country into chaos, the BBC's Karen Allen in Kabul reports. |
On Sunday, demonstrators from Mr Abdullah's camp were on the streets of Kabul, saying they wanted to "protect their vote" from fraud. | |
Both presidential contenders have lodged complaints about the conduct of the elections, and for Mr Abdullah - who felt he was robbed of the presidency back in 2009 - there is a sense that history is repeating itself, our correspondent says. |