Washington: US President Barack Obama called this week's election in Afghanistan an important step forward in the nation's struggle for democracy. He also praised Afghan voters for going to the polls despite the Taliban's intimidation tactics.
"We knew that the Taliban would try to derail this election, yet even in the face of this brutality, millions of Afghans exercised the right to choose their leaders and determine their own destiny," he said.
"I believe that the future belongs to those who want to build, not those who want to destroy. And that is the future that was sought by the Afghans who went to the polls and the Afghan National security forces who protected them," he added.
Afghans flocked to the polls on Thursday, braving Taliban threats and a series of attacks that left 17 security forces and nine civilians dead. Twenty insurgents were also killed.
Turnout and vote results are not expected for days. Incumbent President Hamid Karzai must secure 50 per cent of the vote against his two main rivals, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani, to avoid a runoff.
US Marines launched a major assault in Helmand province in recent weeks to push out the Taliban and improve security for the country's first independently conducted presidential and provincial elections in decades.
The United States views the election as a key step toward assessing stability in the country as it intensified the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
More US soldiers died in Afghanistan in July than in any other month since the US-led assault to oust the Taliban began in October 2001.
(With inputs from agencies)
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