Warlords and politicians vie to lead Afghanistan

An array of former leading government figures and warlords have registered as candidates for Afghanistan's presidential election, hours before the process was set to close on October 6. The registration process has been marked by deals among regional strongmen, Western-trained technocrats, and tribal leaders in what is described as intense political maneuvering. Leading candidates include former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani and former Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak. President Hamid Karzai's brother, Qayum Karzai, and former Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul are also expected to register. Other prominent candidates include Afghan Salafi leader Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf and the former governor of the eastern province of Nangarhar, Gul Agha Sherzai. After vetting the nominees, the Afghan Independent Election Commission is expected to issue a final list of candidates on November 16.