WASHINGTON – Afghans rallied in the Afghan capitol city of Kabul for the formation of a parallel government after a favorite presidential candidate lost a run-off election, leading to a stern warning from the United States.
United States Secretary of State John Kerry warned on Tuesday that US financial support would withdraw financial and security support from Afghanistan if any action is undertaken to seize power by extra-legal means in the wake of the election of Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank official. In strongly-contested election results, Ghani surpassed Abdullah Abdullah, who has claimed the vote was rigged.
“I have noted reports of protests in Afghanistan and of suggestions of a ‘parallel government’ with the gravest concern,” Kerry said in a statement Tuesday. “The United States expects Afghan electoral institutions to conduct a full and thorough review of all reasonable allegations of irregularities. At the same time, there is no justifiable recourse to violence or threats of violence, or for resort to extra-constitutional measures or threats of the same. The apolitical role of the security forces must be respected by all parties. We call on all Afghan leaders to maintain calm in order to preserve the gains of the last decade and maintain the trust of the Afghan people. Any action to take power by extra-legal means will cost Afghanistan the financial and security support of the United States and the international community.”
Abdullah supporters shout "Death to Karzai" as they tear down a poster and stomp on it http://t.co/ilzwE0KigG pic.twitter.com/blASuJx9aF
— Josh Smith (@joshjonsmith) July 8, 2014
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