Published December 08, 2015
Secretary of State John Kerry is seeking to broker a deal between Afghanistan's rival presidential candidates as a bitter dispute over last month's runoff election risked spiraling out of control.
Kerry, who arrived predawn in Kabul on a hastily arranged visit, is meeting Friday with former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (ahsh-RAHF' gah-NEE' ah-mahd-ZEYE') and former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah as well as the current leader, President Hamid Karzai (HAH'-mihd KAHR'-zeye).
The objective is to convince both candidates to hold off on declaring victory or trying to set up a government until the United Nations can conduct an audit of extensive fraud allegations in the voting.
For the United States, the political crisis is threatening to undermine more than a decade of efforts to leave behind a strong Afghanistan.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/in-afghanistan-kerry-seeks-path-out-of-post-election-crisis-un-plans-to-audit-fraud-claims