Millions of Afghans vote in crunch run-off poll

Afghans are voting in run-off polls that will determine who will succeed President Hamid Karzai, the BBC reported.

The choice is between former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani.

It should be the first time that power in Afghanistan has been democratically transferred.

But the Taliban has threatened to target polling stations and there are concerns that voting fraud could produce a disputed result.

As most foreign soldiers prepare to withdraw by the end of this year, whoever becomes the new leader will take over a country where Taliban insurgents remain active, where the economy is weak, where corruption is endemic and where the rule of law is for the most part unenforced.

The Taliban have pledged to do their utmost to disrupt the vote with "non-stop" assaults.

"By holding elections, the Americans want to impose their stooges on the people," the insurgents said on their website.