KABUL, Oct 16: The vote count in Afghanistan's election resumed on Saturday with President Hamid Karzai far ahead of his rivals in early results, as a new surge in attacks left seven people dead, including two US soldiers.
Security experts had warned of a possible resurgence of violence after Saturday's election, which was largely peaceful despite threats of attack from loyalists of Taliban.
The US military said two US troops were killed on Thursday in a landmine blast in the southcentral province of Uruzgan.
Another five people were killed in eastern Kunar province when a remote-controlled bomb exploded after a crowd had gathered near a truck that had been set alight as it was delivering food to US bases, an Afghan official said.
Vote counting started in most areas on Thursday after a delay caused by allegations of irregularities.
It resumed on Saturday after a break on Friday for the start of Ramazan, kicking off for the first time at the remaining regional counting centres of western Herat, eastern Jalalabad and Bamiyan.
"Counting has begun again everywhere - in all eight regional counting centres," said Afghan electoral commission spokesman Aykut Tavsel.
With just 0.7 per cent of estimated total votes counted, Mr Karzai, was far ahead with a 72 per cent lead over his rivals.
He was trailed by former education minister Yunus Qanooni with 11 per cent, the Afghan Joint Electoral Management Body said on its website.
In third place with just over nine per cent was Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostam and in fourth was ethic Hazara military strongman Mohammed Mohaqeq with 1.6 per cent.
Afghanistan's only female candidate Masooda Jalal was lying fifth with 1.4 Per cent of the votes. The other 13 presidential candidate all had less than 1.1 per cent of the ballots.
The initial count included votes from only seven of the country's 34 provinces.-AFP
