The Afghan president's brother is preparing to withdraw from the presidential elections according to a rival candidate, former Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul, who said the two were planning an alliance and would join forces soon.

“We are in discussions about how we can join together, we have not reached yet a final result, but it is on the way,” Rassoul said in an interview on the sidelines of a debate.

“Our negotiation is not finalized ... but you will know very soon,” he said.

With just one month to go until the vote on April 5, just three candidates appeared for Tuesday's televised debate on foreign policy, broadcast by Afghanistan's most popular channel.

Rassoul and Karzai both belong to the same majority Pashtun ethnic group as the president, and an alliance between leading Pashtun candidates has been the focus of heated speculation in the capital as the election approaches.
(VOA)