Abdullah ahead in Afghan poll count

Taliban Conflict

• Why poll matters
• Rush to polls
• Before and after Taliban
• Security struggle

Partial results from the Afghan presidential vote show former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah slightly ahead of Ashraf Ghani.

With about 500,000 votes in 26 provinces counted, Dr Abdullah has 41.9% with Mr Ghani on 37.6%.
Some seven million votes were cast in total across Afghanistan's 34 provinces in the 5 April poll.
Full preliminary results are due by 24 April. A runoff will take place in May if no candidate gets a majority.
The Independent Election Commission has warned that the front-runner could easily change as counting continues in the coming days.
The results will now emerge every day, and some ballot boxes have yet to arrive in Kabul from remote places travelling by donkey, says the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul.
Dr Abdullah's team have exhibited quiet confidence since the election, our correspondent adds.
The partial results gave another main contender and former Foreign Minister, Zalmai Rassul, who is believed to be President Hamid Karzai's preferred successor, 9.8% of the vote.
Possible electoral fraud has been a concern, but the election body responsible for dealing with complaints says it will be weeks before it rules on the issue.
There were allegations of large-scale fraud when Mr Karzai was re-elected in 2009.
There were also fears that Taliban violence could disrupt the election, but millions turned out despite threats and several high-profile attacks in the run-up to election day.
The vote heralds the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan.