<p>Afghanistan hailed another successful election today when millions of people defied Taliban threats in a run-off vote to choose a new president as US-led troops withdraw.<br /><br /></p>.<p>But fraud allegations were likely from both campaign teams after the election, and a close count could lead to a contested result as the country undergoes its first democratic transfer of power.<br /><br />The election will decide whether former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah or ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani leads the country into a new era of declining international military and civilian assistance.<br /><br />Despite being largely peaceful, polling day saw at least 150 minor attacks, including a Taliban rocket that hit a house near a polling station in the eastern province of Khost, killing five members of the same family.<br /><br />"The voting has gone well and as planned. As you see, the turnout has been large," said Independent Election Commission chief Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani as counting got underway.<br />He admitted there had been problems with ballot paper shortages, but said that affected polling stations had been re-supplied.<br /><br />President Hamid Karzai is due to step down after ruling Afghanistan since 2001, when a US-led offensive ousted the austere Taliban regime for sheltering Al-Qaeda militants behind the 9/11 attacks.<br /><br />A smooth handover would be a major achievement for the international effort to establish a functioning state after the depredations of the Taliban era.<br /><br />"We are very proud to be choosing our favourite candidate," Karzai said after voting. "Today Afghanistan goes from a transition period towards long-lasting peace."<br /><br />In the first-round vote in April, the insurgents also failed to launch a high-profile attack while voter turnout was more than 50 per cent.<br /><br />"As we promised, the security was better and we had better planning," said interior minister Omar Daudzai today. "The enemy's attacks have had very little impact."<br /><br />Daudzai said the day was proof that the security forces, who have been trained by the US-led military coalition, will able to protect the country when all NATO-lead combat troops exit Afghanistan this year.<br /><br />Both candidates cast their ballots in Kabul, dipping a finger in ink to register that they had voted.<br /><br />"We do not want even one fraudulent vote for us," Abdullah told reporters, while Ghani said via Twitter: "We ask everyone to prevent, avoid and discourage people from rigging."<br /><br />On the eve of the run-off, UN head of mission Jan Kubis had issued a stark warning to candidates' supporters not to resort to the ballot-box stuffing that marred the 2009 election when Karzai retained power.<br /><br />The two candidates came top of an eight-man field in the April election, triggering the run-off as neither reached the 50 percent threshold needed for outright victory.<br />Abdullah secured 45 per cent of the vote with Ghani on 31.6 per cent, after investigations into fraud claims from both sides.<br /><br />On the campaign trail, they offered similar pledges to tackle rampant corruption, build much-needed infrastructure and protect citizens from violence.<br />"I want someone who can improve our economy, create jobs and improve our lives," said Janat Gul, 45, a shopkeeper voting in Kabul.<br /><br />"If the economy is good there will be no insurgency, everyone will be busy working, not fighting."<br /><br />Harsh terrain and poor roads make holding an Afghan election a logistical challenge, with thousands of donkeys used to transport ballot boxes to remote villages.<br />Counting the ballot will take weeks. The preliminary result is due on July 2 and a final result on July 22.<br /><br />Ahead of the vote, the Taliban had threatened to kill voters and officials, saying the election was an American plot "to impose their stooges".<br /><br />Karzai, who is constitutionally barred from a third term in office, has fulfilled his pledge not to interfere in the election -- in public at least -- though he is tipped to retain influence after handing over power.<br /><br />His relationship with the US soured badly, and the next president is likely to reset ties by signing a long-delayed pact for some US troops to remain on a training and counter-terrorism mission after this year.<br /><br />Last month President Barack Obama said that if the pact is signed, 9,800 of the 32,000-strong US deployment would stay in 2015.</p>
<p>Afghanistan hailed another successful election today when millions of people defied Taliban threats in a run-off vote to choose a new president as US-led troops withdraw.<br /><br /></p>.<p>But fraud allegations were likely from both campaign teams after the election, and a close count could lead to a contested result as the country undergoes its first democratic transfer of power.<br /><br />The election will decide whether former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah or ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani leads the country into a new era of declining international military and civilian assistance.<br /><br />Despite being largely peaceful, polling day saw at least 150 minor attacks, including a Taliban rocket that hit a house near a polling station in the eastern province of Khost, killing five members of the same family.<br /><br />"The voting has gone well and as planned. As you see, the turnout has been large," said Independent Election Commission chief Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani as counting got underway.<br />He admitted there had been problems with ballot paper shortages, but said that affected polling stations had been re-supplied.<br /><br />President Hamid Karzai is due to step down after ruling Afghanistan since 2001, when a US-led offensive ousted the austere Taliban regime for sheltering Al-Qaeda militants behind the 9/11 attacks.<br /><br />A smooth handover would be a major achievement for the international effort to establish a functioning state after the depredations of the Taliban era.<br /><br />"We are very proud to be choosing our favourite candidate," Karzai said after voting. "Today Afghanistan goes from a transition period towards long-lasting peace."<br /><br />In the first-round vote in April, the insurgents also failed to launch a high-profile attack while voter turnout was more than 50 per cent.<br /><br />"As we promised, the security was better and we had better planning," said interior minister Omar Daudzai today. "The enemy's attacks have had very little impact."<br /><br />Daudzai said the day was proof that the security forces, who have been trained by the US-led military coalition, will able to protect the country when all NATO-lead combat troops exit Afghanistan this year.<br /><br />Both candidates cast their ballots in Kabul, dipping a finger in ink to register that they had voted.<br /><br />"We do not want even one fraudulent vote for us," Abdullah told reporters, while Ghani said via Twitter: "We ask everyone to prevent, avoid and discourage people from rigging."<br /><br />On the eve of the run-off, UN head of mission Jan Kubis had issued a stark warning to candidates' supporters not to resort to the ballot-box stuffing that marred the 2009 election when Karzai retained power.<br /><br />The two candidates came top of an eight-man field in the April election, triggering the run-off as neither reached the 50 percent threshold needed for outright victory.<br />Abdullah secured 45 per cent of the vote with Ghani on 31.6 per cent, after investigations into fraud claims from both sides.<br /><br />On the campaign trail, they offered similar pledges to tackle rampant corruption, build much-needed infrastructure and protect citizens from violence.<br />"I want someone who can improve our economy, create jobs and improve our lives," said Janat Gul, 45, a shopkeeper voting in Kabul.<br /><br />"If the economy is good there will be no insurgency, everyone will be busy working, not fighting."<br /><br />Harsh terrain and poor roads make holding an Afghan election a logistical challenge, with thousands of donkeys used to transport ballot boxes to remote villages.<br />Counting the ballot will take weeks. The preliminary result is due on July 2 and a final result on July 22.<br /><br />Ahead of the vote, the Taliban had threatened to kill voters and officials, saying the election was an American plot "to impose their stooges".<br /><br />Karzai, who is constitutionally barred from a third term in office, has fulfilled his pledge not to interfere in the election -- in public at least -- though he is tipped to retain influence after handing over power.<br /><br />His relationship with the US soured badly, and the next president is likely to reset ties by signing a long-delayed pact for some US troops to remain on a training and counter-terrorism mission after this year.<br /><br />Last month President Barack Obama said that if the pact is signed, 9,800 of the 32,000-strong US deployment would stay in 2015.</p>