(VOVworld) – The Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission on Thursday began an unprecedented audit of all 8.1 million votes cast in the June 14 run-off presidential election.

Former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani came second in the first round but now leads a preliminary count

Noor Mohammad Noor, spokesman for the Commission, said that the recounting will be done in Kabul and in the commission headquarters. National and international observers will watch the process that will take around three weeks. Noor said their staff will work in two shifts auditing around 1,000 ballot boxes a day, with NATO forces helping to transport the boxes from across the country to Kabul.

John Kerry spent hours listening to the rivals' grievances before gently pushing them towards the ambitious agreement. Photograph: Rahmat Gul/AP

Two rival presidential candidates last Saturday agreed on the auditing following 2-day negotiation with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Under the agreements, any candidate who will gain a victory after this inspection will take up office and set up a national solidarity government.

According to the preliminary results, Ashraf Ghani won 56.44% of the votes while former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abduh got only 43.56%. Shortly after the second run-off on June 14, Abdullah claimed massive fraud had robbed him of victory and boycotted the vote count by withdrawing his team's observers.