Profiles of key candidates

Afghanistan holds presidential and provincial elections on Thursday, the second since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001, with attacks mounting and insurgents vowing to disrupt the poll.

Afghanistan holds presidential and provincial elections on Thursday, the second since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001, with attacks mounting and insurgents vowing to disrupt the poll.

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There are 41 names on the ballot paper but about 10 have withdrawn. The challengers, including two women, are trying to unseat incumbent Hamid Karzai, who must win more than 50 per cent of the vote to avoid a run-off against the second-placed candidate.

Two recent US-funded polls showed Karzai winning about 45 per cent of the vote, compared with 25 per cent for former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Following are brief profiles of some of the leading candidates:

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