Afghan election audit disrupted as candidates declare walk-out --- (Reuters) - Afghanistan's disputed presidential election veered further off course on Wednesday after both candidates withdrew their observers from a U.N.-supervised audit of votes that was meant to resolve the crisis. -- The crisis over the outcome of the vote has raised the specter of instability, turmoil and perhaps even another round of fighting in a country already battling a potent Taliban insurgency. -- The audit was part of a U.S.-brokered deal to defuse escalating tension between rivals Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, who have both claimed victory in the ballot intended to mark the country's first democratic transfer of power. -- "We boycotted the audit process today because it is worthless for us. Let them carry on," Fazel Ahmad Manawi, Abdullah's chief auditor, told Reuters early on Wednesday. -- A few hours later, the United Nations asked Ghani's team to withdraw its observers in the interests of fairness and it had agreed, according to a team member, who said the withdrawal was unfair but prudent. -- "Today we requested the team of Dr. Ghani to review whether they should participate actively in the process," U.N. deputy chief Nicholas Haysom told reporters on Wednesday. -- "Underlying this request was a realization that the audit must not only have integrity, it must be seen to be even-handed by all Afghans," he said. -- After a pause on Wednesday morning, the audit resumed in the afternoon, Haysom said, adding he did not expect significant further delays as the audit proceeded without the physical presence of representatives from candidates' teams. -- "We continue to urge the return of both candidates to full participation in the process, and we stand ready to address their concerns whether they return or not," he said. -- Officials involved in the process say it is likely Ghani would eventually be confirmed president. -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has twice flown to Afghanistan since a June 14 run-off vote to defuse tension and push the rivals to agree to cooperate. -- U.S. officials stepped in again earlier on Wednesday and held emergency talks with Abdullah, according to a member of his team. -- If the rival politicians needed a reminder of the militant threat, Afghan security forces were battling the Taliban for control of the northern province of Kunduz on Wednesday with heavy clashes also reported in parts of the south. -- The political crisis and fighting comes at a time of deep anxiety in Afghanistan as the United States, Kabul's biggest aid donor, and other NATO nations withdraw their troops after nearly 13 years of fighting Taliban insurgents. -- Chaos as Western forces pull out would be a huge embarrassment for those countries which have spent billions of dollars and lost about 3,500 soldiers in a bid to bring peace and stability. - More, http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/27/us-afghanistan-election-idUSKBN0GR0JI20140827