Ashraf Ghani sworn in for 2nd term as Afghan president

March 9 (UPI) -- Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in Monday for a second term amid rocket fire that could be heard near the presidential palace.

Afghan spokesman Nasrat Rahim said four rockets landed near inauguration grounds. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, Ambassador Ross Wilson, U.S. and NATO forces commander Gen. Scott Miller and diplomats from the European Union, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Germany and Norway attended the ceremony.

Ghani spoke of ridding the system of "the evil of corruption and bureaucracy," and urged attendees to stay calm amid sounds of explosions.

"We have seen major attacks. Don't be afraid by two small blasts," he said.

Election officials last month declared Ghani the winner of September's election, but rival Abdullah Abdullah has refused to accept the results and staged his own inauguration Monday.

"It seems the international community has sided with Ghani, legitimizing his position as president," Faiz Muhammad Zaland, a political analyst, told Al Jazeera.

Analysts said persistent opposition from Abdullah could undermine intra-Afghan talks this week, which are part of a U.S. peace deal with the Taliban.

Under the deal, U.S. forces will begin a phased withdrawal in exchange for a pledge by the Taliban to engage in the intra-Afghan negotiations. The militant group has long been opposed to holding any peace talks with the Afghan government.