Afghanistan presidential poll hailed as a 'success' --- Afghan and Western leaders have praised the turnout in Afghanistan's presidential election, describing the exercise as a success. -- The votes of more than seven million Afghans estimated to have taken part - out of an electorate of 12 million - are now being counted. -- The poll was accompanied by sporadic violence, reports of ballot-paper shortages and complaints of fraud. -- It marks the strife-torn nation's first transfer of power via the ballot box. -- Eight candidates are seeking to succeed President Hamid Karzai. A second round run-off between the top two contenders may be needed to decide the winner, correspondents say. -- Three million more people voted in this presidential election than in the previous one, in 2009. -- Mr Karzai, barred by the constitution from seeking a third term, said after the polls closed: "Despite the cold and rainy weather and possible terrorist attack, our sisters and brothers nationwide took in this election and their participation is a step forward and it is a success for Afghanistan." -- US President Barack Obama, in a statement issued by the White House, said: "We commend the Afghan people, security forces, and elections officials on the turnout for today's vote - which is in keeping with the spirited and positive debate among candidates and their supporters in the run-up to the election. -- "These elections are critical to securing Afghanistan's democratic future, as well as continued international support." -- 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, to have their say in the country's future." -- 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. -- "I congratulate the millions of Afghan men and women from across the country who have cast their votes in presidential and provincial council elections with such an impressive turnout and enthusiasm," Mr Rasmussen said in a statement. -- Although there are eight candidates for president, only three are considered frontrunners - former foreign ministers Abdullah Abdullah and Zalmai Rassoul, and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai. -- However, no candidate is expected to secure more than the 50% of the vote needed to be the outright winner, which means there is likely to be a second round run-off on 28 May. --- Afghanistan's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) chairman Ahmad Yousuf Nouristani said its latest estimates were that more than seven million people had voted by 17:00 local time, when the polls had officially closed and counting began. -- Two-thirds of those who voted were men and one third women, the commission believes. Some polling stations stayed open for another four hours to allow everyone queuing to vote. -- "This election was a message to the enemies of Afghanistan," Mr Nouristani said. "With this determination of the honourable people of Afghanistan, the enemies were defeated." --- IEC secretary Ziaul Haq Amarkhel, asked to comment on widespread reports of polling stations running out of ballot papers, said this information was "false". - More, BBC, at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26908464