WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that the Afghan presidential election is an "important step forward" for the country, vowing to "strengthen Afghan security, governance and opportunity."

    "This was an important step forward in the Afghan people's effort to take control of their future even as violent extremists are trying to stand in their way," Obama told reporters in the White House.

Afghans line to cast their ballots at a polling station in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on Aug. 20, 2009. The people of Afghanistan begun voting Thursday morning amid tight security to elect the country' s president and 420 members of the provincial councils.

Regardless of Taliban attacks, millions of Afghans on Thursday went to 7,000 polling stations across the country for voting their president, who is elected for a five-year tenure and could serve a maximum of two terms.

    Officials said 27 people were killed in scattered incidents of election-day violence.

Election employees count the votes at a mosque in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2009. Vote counting for the Afghan election started on the evening of Aug. 20.

"I was struck by their courage in the face of intimidation and their dignity in the face of disorder. There is a clear contrast between those who seek to control their future at the ballot box and those who kill to prevent that from happening," said Obama, who praised the election as the "first democratic election run by Afghans in over three decades."

    "I believe that the future belongs to those who want to build, not those who want to destroy. And that is the future that was sought by the Afghans who went to the polls and the Afghan national security forces who protected them," said the president.

    "The United States did not support any candidate in this election," said Obama, adding that his country wants the result "fairly, accurately reflecting the will of the Afghan people."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai casts his vote in the presidential election in Kabul August 20, 2009

Both incumbent President Hamid Karzai and his major challenger Abudullah Abdullah are declaring a first-round victory.

    The vote's counting could take about three weeks and the final result is expected to be announced on September 17. Candidate who can fix the victory must get more than 50 percent of the votes.

Afghan president candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, former Foreign Minister with Karzai government, casts his ballot at a polling station in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2009.

"We will continue to work with our Afghan partners to strengthen Afghan security, governance and opportunity. Our goal is clear: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al Qaida and their extremist allies," said Obama.