Violence rocks Afghanistan as campaign ends

Candidates in Afghanistan’s presidential election pushed their messages for the last time yesterday as campaigning for weekend polls wrapped up amid deadly violence.

The bloodshed that has marred the election since day one showed no sign of abating, with fresh blasts targeting the campaign offices of President Ashraf Ghani, including one late Tuesday that killed a local journalist.

After two days of no campaigning on Thursday and Friday, Afghans head to the polls Saturday to decide whether Ghani -- who was elected in 2014 -- should be awarded a second term.

Eighteen names appear on the ballot but the only other candidate thought to have a chance is Ghani’s main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan’s “chief executive” who was awarded the role after 2014’s bitter election.