Ashraf Ghani sworn in as Afghan president, rival holds parallel inauguration ceremony

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for a second term on Monday but his main rival for the top job refused to recognize the inauguration, holding his own swearing-in ceremony as a rival president.

Television footage showed Ghani taking an oath at the Presidential palace in Kabul at a ceremony attended by a number of foreign diplomats, including U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

Presidential candidate and rival in a disputed election Abdullah Abdullah held his own ceremony at a similar time, suggesting talks between the two camps and Khalilzad aimed at brokering an agreement had not been successful.

(Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi, Orooj Hakini and Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Alex Richardson)