KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President-elect Ashraf Ghani on Monday delayed his planned inauguration until later in the day, after his rival postponed his scheduled competing swearing-in ceremony as their dispute over an election appeared to be coming to a head.
FILE PHOTO: Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani (L) and Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah (R) participate in a family photo at the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland July 8, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Both men say they are Afghanistan’s rightful leader following a disputed election in September, a stand-off that threatens political chaos just days after the United States and the Taliban signed a deal on the withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces.
Private Tolo News showed a split-screen feed of live broadcasts from the rival ceremonies, with guests starting to take their seats on Monday afternoon.
Tolo reported international representatives, including some from Europe, had arrived at the Presidential Palace for Ghani’s inauguration.
Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, Ghani’s long-time rival, had also planned a ceremony for his inauguration.
Both Ghani and Abdullah have been locked in talks with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad as he tries to cobble together a deal betwee