AKIPRESS.COM - The new president of Afghanistan has been named,the country's election commission said Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai will be the next president.

His one-time rival Abdullah Abdullah will fill the newly created position of chief executive, a post similar to prime minister.

The decision came just hours after the leading candidates signed a power-sharing deal, but the commission pointedly did not release final vote totals amid concerns that doing so could inflame tensions.

The deal brings to a close an election season that began in April, when millions of Afghans first went to the polls despite threats from Taliban militants, and ended when the two candidates signed a national unity government agreement and embraced in a hug.