Afghanistan swore in Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai as its second elected president on Monday, embarking on a new era with a national unity government poised to confront a resilient Taliban insurgency by signing an agreement with the United States that would guarantee a continuing American military presence. As Hamid Karzai left the political stage, the new president was locked into an uneasy partnership with his defeated rival, Abdullah Abdullah, who became the country's first chief executive. With a hug for the cameras, both sides appeared determined to reach across factions and avoid a descent into an abyss similar to what has happened in Iraq, where the government's failure to mend lingering sectarian divisions following a full U.S. withdrawal helped give rise to the brutal Islamic State group.
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Afghanistan swore in Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai as its second elected president
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He's expected to sign an agreement to keep 9,800 U.S troops in the country
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That number of troops is expected to be cut in half by the end of 2015
Setting aside rivalries: Moments after @placeholder took the presidential oath, he swore in his election challenger, Abdullah Abdullah (centre) as chief executive
Ghani Ahmadzai has said he would also welcome talks with the @placeholder, who control vast rural sections of southern and eastern Afghanistan.
Karzai, who has cautioned the successor government about its future dealings with the @placeholder, took a bold swipe at the U.S. during his farewell address last week.