Blasts heard as duelling Afghan leaders swear themselves in

Afghanistan lurched deeper into political crisis on Monday as the rivals for the country's leadership had themselves sworn in at simultaneous ceremonies that were interrupted by at least two blasts.

The bitter feud between President Ashraf Ghani and his former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah has raised fears for Afghanistan's fragile democracy as the US prepares to leave the country following an agreement last month with a strong and largely unified Taliban.

Polls were held in September, but repeated delays and accusations of voter fraud meant that Ghani, the incumbent president, was only declared as winner of a second term in February -- sparking a furious response from Abdullah, who vowed to form his own parallel government.

On Monday Ghani, dressed in traditional Afghan clothing and white turban, arrived at the presidential palace to be sworn in, surrounded by supporters, senior political figures, diplomats and foreign dignitaries including US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

Minutes earlier, in another corner of the sprawling presidential palace compound, a suit-clad Abdullah inaugurated himself as president, vowing to "safeguard the independence, national sovereignty, territorial integrity" of Afghanistan.

As hundreds of people watched Ghani's ceremony, two loud explosions were heard prompting some people to flee.

"I have no bulletproof vest on, only my shirt," Ghani told those who stayed behind as sirens wailed.

"I will stay even if I have to sacrifice my head."