Voters across Afghanistan are casting their ballots to pick their country’s next leader.

The winner is expected to play a key part in the efforts to end the war with the Taliban, which now controls more of the country than at any time since its toppling in a US-led invasion in 2001.

The armed group refuses to negotiate with the Afghan government and has denounced the election as a “sham”. It has urged voters to stay away from polling stations, which it threatened to attack.

Amid rising security concerns, tens of thousands of security forces were deployed on Saturday across the country to protect voters.

The election, which has been delayed twice, is taking place after talks between the United States and the Taliban collapsed earlier this month.