AFGHANISTAN’S troubled presidential election was rocked by more turmoil today as both candidates vying to succeed Hamed Karzai pulled their observers out of a ballot audit.

Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah pulled his observers, citing concerns of widespread fraud.

Then, former finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai also pulled out his observers in the interest of fairness.

The US-occupying power brokered an audit of the eight million ballots cast in the presidential runoff as a way to end what had been a debilitating impasse over who takes over from outgoing President Karzai.

However, the process has been problematic, with both sides arguing strenuously over every vote.

Former foreign minister Abdullah led during the first round of voting on April 5 but preliminary results from the June vote showed his opponent ahead, which sparked accusations of rampant fraud from the Abdullah camp.