Hopes for peace raised by Afghan power-sharing deal

After months of feuding, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing agreement on Sunday

- a step that could smooth efforts to end the country's long-running war.

At a signing ceremony in Kabul Ghani called it a historic day while Abdullah said that though the agreement had not been easy, a big step been taken because instability, quote, "could have plunged Afghanistan into crisis."

Abdullah had disputed the results of an election in September, and announced the formation of a parallel government earlier this year

- undermining Ghani's administration at a time when the US was trying to advance a peace process with the Taliban to end 19 years of war.

Washington has been frustrated by the growing impasse and had announced plans to cut $1 billion in aid because the men couldn't agree.

Shortly before the deal was signed sources said Abdullah had wanted to control a major government portfolio such as finance or foreign affairs and that while Ghani had not agreed to this, he could offer control of the interior ministry.

Officials say a lasting deal between Ghani and Abdullah is crucial to launching peace talks, as Abdullah's camp represents much of the country's north-west.

But the talks face a number of stark challenges, as highlighted by an attack on a Kabul maternity ward this week.

The Taliban has denied involvement but the government has remained skeptical and angry at ongoing Taliban attacks against the Afghan military.