US to help solve Afganistan Election disputes

US Secretary of State John Kerry is holding a second day of talks in Afghanistan to try to end a row over the result of the presidential poll.

Kerry is meeting candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, who accuse each other of electoral fraud, at the US compound in the capital, Kabul.

Ghani, the winner of preliminary results in the second round, has backed an “extensive audit” of votes.

Meanwhile, 10 people have been killed in bomb attacks blamed on the Taliban.

Eight civilians, including several women, died when a roadside bomb blew up in southern Kandahar province. A bomb in the eastern city of Jalalabad, in Nangarhar province, claimed two more lives.

Afghanistan’s current President Hamid Karzai, who came to office after the US-led overthrow of the Taliban, is stepping down after more than 10 years.

US officials said they were hoping for a breakthrough on Saturday after the first day of negotiations remained inconclusive.

The US Secretary of State, who arrived in Kabul on Friday in a hastily arranged visit, earlier welcomed Mr Ghani’s backing of an audit.

“No-one is declaring victory at this time. The results have yet to be finalised and so those questions have to be resolved and I’m very appreciative that Dr Ghani respects that,” Mr Kerry told journalists ahead of starting the talks.

The US has been concerned at reports that Abdullah, who preliminary results suggest lost the election, is planning a “parallel government”.

Results announced by Afghanistan’s election officials give Ghani 56.44 per cent of votes in the 14 June run-off, with Mr Abdullah gaining 43.45 per cent.

The results were markedly different from those achieved in the first round of voting, held in April.

In that round, Abdullah fell just short of an outright majority, with 44.9 per cent, with Mr Ghani second at 31.5 per cent.

Votes are already being re-checked at more than 7,000 polling stations – nearly a third of the total number.

Correspondents say recounts could significantly alter the final result, due on July 22.

The UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan warned it would be “premature” for either side to claim victory.

There are also concerns about a further deterioration in the security situation.

Taliban militants have been testing the limits of the Afghan army in recent weeks, with a major offensive in the southern province of Helmand.

The withdrawal of foreign troops by the end of this year will be the litmus test of whether more than a decade of training and investment in building up Afghanistan’s own security forces has paid off, correspondents say.

President Barack Obama has said the US remained committed to Afghanistan provided the incoming president signed a security agreement.

Both Abdullah and Ghani have said they are committed to signing the deal with the US that would allow a small force to stay on.