Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signs a power-sharing agreement with his rival

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah have signed a power-sharing agreement two months after both said they won last September’s presidential election.

Ghani spokesman Sediq Sediqqi tweeted yesterday that a political deal between Ghani and Abdullah had been signed in which Ghani would remain president of the war-torn nation. The deal calls for Abdullah to lead the National Reconciliation High Council and some members of Abdullah’s team would be included in Ghani’s Cabinet.

The Reconciliation Council has been given the authority to handle all affairs related to the Afghan peace process.

Afghanistan has been in political disarray since the election commission in December announced Ghani had won the September 28 election with more than 50 percent of the vote. Abdullah had about 39 percent votes.