Afghanistan: Qayoum Karzai Quits Election Race in Favor of Zalmai Rassoul

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Afghan presidential candidate Qayoum Karzai has quit the race and thrown his support behind former foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul, sources close to Qayoum Karzai said on Wednesday. The official announcement is expected within 24 hours, sources added. The news comes after efforts to form a coalition between Qayoum Karzai and Rassoul failed last week after initial signs that one of the candidates might fold his campaign in favor of the other. Qayoum Karzai - the brother of current Afghan President Hamid Karzai - and a number of participants of the Jirga that was held to discuss the possible coalition last week announced on Friday that the campaign would continue uninterrupted.