Karzai campaign team claims victory

"We have a simple majority," spokesman Hamid Elmi told AFP as the latest count gave Karzai 4,105,122 votes of the 92.1 percent of the ballots tallied.

"This is exactly what we want. But we will wait for the final confirmation, for the final official announcement, hopefully tomorrow around midday (0730 GMT)."

Presidential press aide Khaleeq Ahmad also said Karzai had "a secure majority of 50 percent plus one".

"We are very delighted that we have a secure majority now. And we will wait to celebrate until 100 percent of the vote has been counted," Ahmad told AFP.

Final results were "a matter of days" away, United Nations spokesman Manoel de Almeida e Silva told reporters earlier Sunday, declining to set an exact date.

The last of some eight millon votes must be counted and a panel probing alleged fraud must submit its findings before the result and victor can be declared.