The main challenger for the Afghan presidency released a video on Thursday that he said showed supporters of President Hamid Karzai fraudulently marking ballots in the August 20 presidential poll. Abdullah Abdullah, who scored 28 percent according to preliminary results, handed the video to Kabul-based media to bolster his accusations that Karzai rigged the vote.
The video released by Abdullah's office appears to show several men and a woman wearing Afghan national dress in a room with ballot papers and open ballot boxes scattered around them. The woman is seen stamping ballot papers that favour Karzai at speed. One of the men folds the papers and throws them onto a pile, while another displays the ticked ballot papers to the camera. All of those involved seem aware of the camera, but show no discomfort.