Warlords faring well in Afghan election

COUNTING is nearly complete in landmark Afghan legislative polls, with warlords and opponents of President Hamid Karzai faring relatively well, but women could hold the balance of power in the new national assembly.

Audits still have to be completed in some provinces and final provisional results will be released only slowly in coming days while suspicion of ballot stuffing and other fraud at more than 1,000 of nearly 27,000 polling stations are checked.

Final provisional results were expected from at least two provinces yesterday, a day later than planned due to Tuesday’s holiday for the start of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month.