Afghan presidential election set for run-off between Abdullah and Ghani, results show

This combination of photographs created on April 3, 2014, shows Afghan Presidential candidates (from left) Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai attending a debate at Tolo TV station in Kabul on February 4, 2014 and Abdullah Abdullah attending a Hazara gathering in
This combination of photographs created on April 3, 2014, shows Afghan Presidential candidates (from left) Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai attending a debate at Tolo TV station in Kabul on February 4, 2014 and Abdullah Abdullah attending a Hazara gathering in Kabul on March 7, 2014. Afghanistan's presidential election is set for a second-round vote, preliminary results showed on April 26, 2014, as opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah and former academic Ashraf Ghani both failed to secure a decisive victory. -- PHOTO:AFP

KABUL (AFP/Reuters) - Afghanistan's presidential election is set for a second-round vote, preliminary results showed on Saturday, as opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah and former academic Ashraf Ghani both failed to secure a decisive victory.

"Based on our results, it appears that the election goes to the second round," Mr Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani, head of the Independent Election Commission, told a press conference.

Mr Abdullah finished top with 44.9 per cent, followed by Mr Ghani with 31.5 per cent, the Independent Election Commission said. Mr Zalmay Rassoul was a distant third with 11.5 per cent.

Final results are due on May 14, and a run-off would take place at the end of May.

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