Ashraf Ghani sworn in as Afghan president, rival holds parallel inauguration ceremony

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani (left) and Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah (right) participate in a family photo at the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, 8 July - Reuters 

KABUL (Reuters): Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for a second term yesterday but his main rival for the top job refused to recognise the inauguration, holding his own swearing-in ceremony as a rival president.

Television footage showed Ghani taking an oath at the Presidential palace in Kabul at a ceremony attended by a number of foreign diplomats, including US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

Presidential candidate and rival in a disputed election Abdullah Abdullah held his own ceremony at a similar time, suggesting talks between the two camps and Khalilzad aimed at brokering an agreement had not been successful.