Monday, June 16, 2014

Afghans vote in presidential runoff

  • Abdullah Abdullah faces Ashraf Ghani in the runoff Saturday
  • No candidate secured more than 50% of votes
  • Final runoff results will be announced on July 22

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Afghans head to the polls Saturday to pick a President in a runoff between former foreign and finance ministers.

No candidate won enough votes to secure outright victory in the first round of the Afghanistan presidential poll, the election commission said last month.

The runoff is between the two finalists, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani, the two candidates who received the highest number of votes.

In the first-round, in which around 7 millions Afghans voted on April 5, Abdullah secured 45% of the vote, while Ghani got 31.6%. A candidate needs to receive more than 50% of the votes to win the first round and avoid a runoff.

Steve McCurry has been photographing Afghanistan's people and landscape for 35 years. His iconic portrait "Afghan Girl" has become a symbol of Middle Eastern culture and part of photographic history. The full collection of McCurry's images from Afghanistan is on display at the Beetles+Huxley gallery in London until June 7. Watch McCurry talk about his work from the country.Steve McCurry has been photographing Afghanistan's people and landscape for 35 years. His iconic portrait "Afghan Girl" has become a symbol of Middle Eastern culture and part of photographic history. The full collection of McCurry's images from Afghanistan is on display at the Beetles+Huxley gallery in London until June 7. Watch McCurry talk about his work from the country.
Afghan women shop at a shoe store in Kabul, 1992.Afghan women shop at a shoe store in Kabul, 1992.
An Afghan teeth-maker sits in a makeshift shop in Kandahar, 1998.An Afghan teeth-maker sits in a makeshift shop in Kandahar, 1998.
Children work in an opium field in Badakhshan, 1992.Children work in an opium field in Badakhshan, 1992.
A camel caravan works its way across the rocky terrain in southern Afghanistan, 1980. A camel caravan works its way across the rocky terrain in southern Afghanistan, 1980.
A colt runs after its mother past two vertical rock formations in Band-i-Amir, 2002.A colt runs after its mother past two vertical rock formations in Band-i-Amir, 2002.
A farmer in Jalalabad, 1992.A farmer in Jalalabad, 1992.
A man reads at a mosque in Bamiyan, 2006.A man reads at a mosque in Bamiyan, 2006.
A village between Sarobi and Kabul, 1992.A village between Sarobi and Kabul, 1992.
Shiite Muslims flagellate themselves during Ashura in Kabul, 2002.Shiite Muslims flagellate themselves during Ashura in Kabul, 2002.
Men work to rebuild a damaged kiln in Kandahar, 1992. Men work to rebuild a damaged kiln in Kandahar, 1992.
A young boy stands with his gun, 1979.A young boy stands with his gun, 1979.
An Afghan refugee in Baluchistan, 1981.An Afghan refugee in Baluchistan, 1981.
The Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, 1992.The Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, 1992.
Mujahedeen stand atop a mountain in the Hindu Kush, 1984. Mujahedeen stand atop a mountain in the Hindu Kush, 1984.
A father and daughter at home in Kamdesh, 1992.A father and daughter at home in Kamdesh, 1992.
Young men train for war in Nangarhar province, 1984.Young men train for war in Nangarhar province, 1984.
A father and son in Helmand province, 1980.A father and son in Helmand province, 1980.
Kuchi nomads pray near Kandahar, 1992.Kuchi nomads pray near Kandahar, 1992.
An Afghan woman wears a canary burqa in Kabul, 2002. An Afghan woman wears a canary burqa in Kabul, 2002.
A farmer walks through fields, 2006.A farmer walks through fields, 2006.
Doves fly in front of the Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, 1992. See what inspires iconic photographer Steve McCurry.Doves fly in front of the Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, 1992. See what inspires iconic photographer Steve McCurry.
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
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Photos: Steve McCurry's AfghanistanPhotos: Steve McCurry's Afghanistan
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The final runoff results will be announced on July 22, the election commission said.

It's the third election since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, and is set to be the first democratic transfer of power in the fragile, war-torn country.

Abdullah was a vocal critic of the Taliban during their years in power. Although he was once an ally of incumbent President Hamid Karzai, serving in his government as foreign minister, he has in later years become an opponent.

He challenged Karzai in the 2009 election but dropped out after the first round to protest what he said was large-scale voting fraud.

Ghani is a former academic and U.S. citizen who gave up his passport to run for the Afghan presidency in 2009. He worked as an adviser to Karzai and also as finance minister in his Cabinet.

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