Afghan Election Chief To Probe Fraud

KABUL -- Afghanistan's newly appointed election commission chief promised today to remove officials responsible for fraud in last year's presidential vote.

Fazl Ahmad Manawi, a former judge tapped by President Hamid Karzai to run the Independent Election Commission, said security is still the biggest risk to holding a free and fair vote.

Afghanistan is due to hold parliamentary elections later this year. Speaking to Reuters, Manawi said he would evaluate election commission staff, try to determine who was behind last year's fraud and either sideline or push them out.

compiled from agency reports