Voting underway in Afghan election

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Voting began on Saturday in Afghanistan's presidential election, which will mark the first democratic transfer of power since the country was tipped into chaos by the fall of the hardline Islamist Taliban regime in 2001.

Taliban insurgents launched a spate of attacks that killed dozens in the run-up to the vote, which they brand as a U.S.-backed sham, but there was no word of violence as voting got under way.

About 12 million are eligible to vote in the election. There are eight candidates contesting, with former foreign ministers Abdullah Abdullah and Zalmay Rassoul, and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani as the favourites.

Hamid Karzai, the incumbent, is not allowed to run for the presidency again by the constitution. But, after 12 years in power, Karzai is widely expected to retain influence through politicians loyal to him.

More than 350,000 Afghan tro