Afghanistan Is Voting For A New President Amid Rising Security Concerns

“The election will determine Afghanistan’s future.”









On April 5, Afghans will vote for a new president and provincial councils. The election follows weeks of rising Taliban attacks in Afghanistan, and comes amid concerns that pervading political corruption and voter fraud may taint the historic vote.






The Associated Press














For weeks, Afghan voters have been waiting in long lines to register for the third presidential election since the Taliban's ouster in 2001. Since then, warlords with violent pasts have largely dominated the political scene.






Mohammad Ismail / Reuters














Hamid Karzai has served for two terms as president since 2001, dominating Afghan politics. There was widespread fraud in the last election in 2009; Afghanistan's electoral commission disqualified around 20% of the votes, most of which were for Karzai.



Abdullah Abdullah — one of this year's presidential frontrunners — came in second, pulling out last minute from a runoff under international pressure.


Mohammad Ismail / Reuters














Recently, tensions have been high between Karzai and President Obama, the two clashing over critical issues like a security agreement to follow the 2014 U.S. troop withdrawal, curbing domestic corruption, and relations with neighboring Iran and Pakistan.



Karzai also supported Russia's takeover of Crimea last month.


AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File




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