WASHINGTON -- This Saturday, September 28, millions of Afghans will vote in the country’s fourth presidential election since Taliban rule ended in 2001.
Although there are 15 candidates on the ballot, the frontrunners in the contest are incumbent President Ashraf Ghani and incumbent Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah -- who took on their current roles when they agreed to share power in a national unity government following the bitter, fraud-marred 2014 presidential elections.
Twice delayed because of security fears, the election comes as the war with the Taliban rages on with unprecedented intensity and amid growing complaints that some polling centers are being left open in dangerous areas, and that others are being closed for political reasons.
With reporters on the ground throughout Afghanistan, Radio Azadi, RFE/RL's Afghan Service, has provided its Pashto and Dari speaking audiences with comprehensive coverage of the election campaign.
RFE/RL experts are available to comment, before, during and after the election:
- Samiullah Mahdi, Kabul Bureau Chief, Radio Azadi (in Kabul; English, Dari, Pashto)
MahdiS@rferl.org , +420.221.121.972, Twitter: @Samiullah_Mahdi
- Frud Bezhan, Senior Reporter, RFE/RL Central Newsroom (in Prague; English, Dari)
BezhanF@rferl.org , +420.221.122.765; Twitter: @FrudBezhan
- Malali Bashir, Senior Correspondent, Radio Azadi (In Prague; English, Pashto)
BashirM@rferl.org, +420.221.123.233; Twitter: @MalaliBashir
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Find RFE/RL Experts at https://pressroom.rferl.org/p/6111.html
To schedule an interview with any of RFE/RL's experts, contact Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org; +1.202.457.6948), or Joanna Levison in Prague (levisonj@rferl.org; +420.221.122.080).
Follow the latest developments on RFERL.org.
