The Council of Presidential Candidates warned on Thursday that they will not accept the presidential election results based on fraud, and said they have lost confidence in the Independent Election Commission (IEC).

Ahmad Wali Massoud, presidential candidate, said: “If the election process continues like it is now, it is not acceptable, it is not legal, not democratic, not transparent, not valuable, and not humanitarian, and in this regard, we will not accept it.”

“Non-biometric votes are not acceptable for us, for people and for the international community,” Said Mohammad Hakim Torsan presidential candidate.

Even though the commissioners of the IEC were elected by the presidential candidates, the Council of Presidential Candidates said they no longer have trust nor confidence in the IEC.

Aurangzeb, a member of the IEC said, “We have started our work based on the election law and we are moving forward by the law and according to regulations. We work carefully, independently and Impartially.”

Rohullah Sakha Zada, a legal activist, said that no one can fire the IEC and Independent Electoral Complaints Commission members: “By law, no one can fire the IEC and (IECC) commissioners.”

This comes as the IEC completed the vote recount in 17 provinces, with only nine provinces remaining. The process was halted by members of election teams in some areas.

Nevertheless, the IEC says it will announce primary results after the recounting process.