Afghanistan election: Presidential poll ballots counted --- Vote counting is well under way in Afghanistan after Saturday's landmark poll to elect a new president. -- More than seven million Afghans turned out to vote, defying Taliban militant threats to the poll. -- The election marks the country's first democratic transfer of power. -- It will take at least another week before the winner is confirmed. If none of the eight candidates gets more than 50% of the vote, Afghans will vote again in a second round. -- But the BBC's Lyse Doucet in Kabul says many Afghans feel their country has already won by holding a relatively peaceful poll. -- Turnout was double that of the last presidential election in 2009, despite major Taliban attacks in the run-up to voting and a cold, rainy polling day. -- Complaints are now coming in about alleged irregularities, including shortages of ballot papers in some areas, but our correspondent says there is greater confidence in the electoral machinery than before and a hope that all the candidates will accept the result. -- Electoral officials have urged patience, saying partial results could come as early as Sunday, but it is likely to be at least a week before a complete picture emerges. -- More than 1,200 complaints had been received by the Election Complaints Commission (ECC) by Sunday morning, spokesman Nadir Mohsini said. -- "Complaints include late opening of polling centres, shortage of ballot papers, encouraging of voters to vote for certain candidates and mistreatment of some election officials," he added. --- The UN Security Council has issued a statement applauding preparations for the vote, and urging the candidates and their supporters to "respect the electoral institutions and processes". -- Thijs Berman, the head of the European Union's election assessment team in Kabul, praised the courage of Afghan voters. -- US President Barack Obama said in a statement: "We commend the Afghan people, security forces, and elections officials on the turnout for today's vote." -- UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement: "It is a great achievement for the Afghan people that so many voters, men and women, young and old, have turned out in such large numbers, despite threats of violence." -- Nato military alliance chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the elections were "a historic moment for Afghanistan". --- Nato has co-ordinated much of the work of foreign forces in Afghanistan - most of them US and British troops - in a mission that will end this year. - More, BBC, at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26912153