Taliban warns Afghans against taking part in polls
The Taliban warned Afghans to keep away from election rallies and ordered its fighters to “stand against” the planned September vote. The militants and other insurgent groups conducted frequent attacks during previous elections, and this year’s campaign season has already been rocked by deadly violence. The presidential election is slated for September 28, but the race has got off to a lacklustre start and some candidates have yet to launch their campaigns. Many observers think the poll will be postponed again -- it has already been pushed back twice this year -- to create space for a peace deal to be finalised between the US and the Taliban. In a statement, Ghani’s office said security forces are “fully prepared” to protect Afghans against Taliban threats and would not allow anyone to disrupt polls.
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