Ashraf Ghani sworn in as Afghan president Monday March 09,2020

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for a second term on Monday March 09,2020 but his main rival for the top job refused to recognise the inauguration, holding his own swearing-in ceremony as a rival president

Presidential candidate and rival in a disputed election Abdullah Abdullah held his own ceremony at a similar time, suggesting talks between the two camps and Khalilzad aimed at brokering an agreement had not been successful.

Earlier on Monday, Abdullah suspended his swearing-in event on the condition that Ghani follow suit. But Ghani, who was declared the winner of September's election last month, decided to go ahead with his inauguration.

The two men issued invitations last week to parallel swearing-in ceremonies on Monday, after Abdullah disputed the February 18 decision by the Electoral Commission and proclaimed himself winner

Ghani and Abdullah held roles in the previous government under a US-brokered power-sharing agreement that followed the 2014 elections marred by fraud allegations

A former foreign minister, Abdullah held the specially created post of chief executive in the outgoing government

Under election law, the swearing-in ceremony for president must be held within 30 days of announcing the winner.