KABUL -- President Ashraf Ghani inaugurated Afghanistan's new parliament Friday (April 26), though dozens of seats remained empty.
Voters and the government defied numerous Taliban terrorist acts and threats in the run-up to the October 20 elections.
Officials have not yet announced results for 33 seats, hindered by technical problems and accusations of fraud. The lower chamber has 249 seats.
"Today in the house of the nation, the majority of the new members of the parliament are educated, and from a younger generation who will protect women's rights and human rights," Ghani said in his opening speech at the parliament.
Afghanistan faces challenges fueled by "direct foreign support" of the Taliban, Ghani added, according to TOLOnews.
