CIA director David Petraeus has filed his resignation over an extramarital affair that surfaced just days ago.

In a move that astonished the intelligence community and the newly re-elected US President Barack Obama, Petraeus asked to be relieved of his duties.

"After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours," wrote Petraeus in a letter to the CIA.

After some consideration, President Obama decided to accept his resignation.

The affair surfaced following an investigation of the FBI on a possible outside access to Petraeus's e-mail account.

It transpired that the US Army four-star general had entered a liaison with his biographer Paula Broadwell.

David Petraeus has served as a chief of the US Central Command, and as commanding general to the international forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He was nominated CIA head by President Obama in April 2011 and served as the agency's director since early September 2011.

After Petraeus's resignation, the CIA will be led by his deputy Michael Morell as acting director.

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