Aleem Siddique, spokesman for the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB), is quoted as saying provisional results would be made available from a few of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL, Aleem Siddique said: "With the count completed, we have just announced the provisional results for Nimroz Province and Farrah Province -- both in the south of the country. We expect to be able to announce all provisional results [for all 34 Afghan provinces] within the next seven days. For each province, there will be a five-day period for people to challenge that result. If no complaints are received then the provisional result will be certified by the UN-Afghan electoral body."

Officials say the vote counting is complete, except for ballot boxes from about 1,000 polling stations that have been quarantined for investigation of suspicions of electoral fraud.

Final results of the September 18 vote for the 249-member Wolesi Jirga national assembly and provincial councils are due by October 22.

Warlords and opponents of President Hamid Karzai are among the front-runners in partial provisional results made available so far.

(RFE/RL/Agencies)

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