Rockets fired as Ashraf Ghani takes oath as Afghanistan president

Afghanistan's President-elect Ashraf Ghani and opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah decided to hold separate swearing-in ceremonies on Monday as the two failed to reach an agreement.

Also Read: Afghan president-elect delays inauguration to continue talks with rival

According to reports, rockets were fired at the presidential palace as Ghani took oath. At least two to five rockets were fired even as Ghani continued his speech.

Ashraf Ghani took oath as president for the second time at the presidential palace in the presence of top NATO allies including US special representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.

"I swear by the name of God that I shall obey and protect the holy religion of Islam, respect and supervise the implementation of the constitution", Ghani said at an oath-taking ceremony.

Last month, Afghanistan's election commission had declared Ghani the winner but Abdullah Abdullah had insisted that he had won and that he would form the government.

Both Ghani and Abdullah had earlier postponed the swearing-in but later decided to go ahead.

Zalmay Khalilzad had failed to strike a deal with the two factions throwing the political process into turmoil. 

Meanwhile, Abdullah Abdullah took oath at the Sapedar Palace.