The crisis surrounding Afghanistan 's historic presidential election may have ended today after President Hamid Karzai's chief rival said he and other candidates were withdrawing their rejection of the weekend poll.
Millions of Afghans took part in Saturday's poll, the first time the impoverished, war-torn Islamic nation voted for a president, but all 15 of Karzai's challengers announced a boycott, saying a system to prevent multiple voting had failed.
"We want unity in this election, not a boycott," ethnic Tajik commander Mr Yunus Qanuni told reporters after intermediaries, including US envoy Mr Zalmay Khalilzad, interceded in the row.
"The people want it and we appreciate their feelings," said Mr Qanuni, indicating he was speaking for several candidates.
His concession means the end of the most serious opposition to the poll, which was held under the shadow of threats of violence by Taliban insurgents.
US-backed Mr Karzai, favourite to win the election, had appealed to his rivals to respect "national jubilation" over the vote.
An exit poll conducted by the Washington-based International Republican Institute (IRI), a US think tank, showed Mr Karzai heading for a landslide. With more than 12,000 survey responses recorded, Mr Karzai had over 50 percent of the vote - enough to avoid a run-off with second-placed Mr Qanuni.
The election commission, the Joint Election Management Body, earlier announced a panel would investigate irregularities and asked Mr Karzai's rivals to submit any complaints by tomorrow evening. A commission official said counting, which could last for three weeks, would start on Wednesday.