Afghanistan election results to be announced today

Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) will announce final results from a September 18 parliamentary election today after long delays while fraud complaints were investigated.

The credibility of the eventual result will weigh heavily when US President Barack Obama reviews his Afghan war strategy next month amid rising violence and sagging public support, especially after a fraud-marred presidential election last year.

Consistent allegations of vote fraud in both polls has raised questions about the credibility of Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s government at a time when US and Nato officials have been re-examining their long-term commitment in Afghanistan.

Later yesterday, Afghan television reported two election officials had been suspended by the attorney general’s office for “making statements against the national interest”.

The officials were identified as IEC spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor and Ahmad Zia Rafat, a member of the Electoral Complaints Commission who is also spokesman for the UN-backed watchdog. The Attorney General’s office could not be reached for comment.

IEC spokeswoman Marzia Siddiqi Salim said earlier the commission had called a news conference for today to release the results. Preliminary results were announced on October 20.