TEHRAN, October 20 - Multiple blasts rock polling stations in the capital Kabul as people in Afghanistan go to polls in parliamentary elections overshadowed by assassination of candidates.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Polls opened today in 32 Afghan provinces but the elections will not be held in Ghazni and Kandahar provinces due to security issues.
Witnesses on Saturday reported explosions at several polling centers, including a school in the north of the capital.
Officials said there were "fatalities and injuries" from the explosions which came after the Taliban warned voters to boycott the elections "to protect their lives."
As voting began, polling workers struggled with a new biometric system and in several polling stations workers took an extraordinary amount of time to locate names on voter lists.
In some polling stations in the capital Kabul voting started as much as an hour late causing small disturbances by frustrated voters, some of whom had come to vote nearly two hours before polls opened.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani marked his ballot at the start of voting. In a televised speech afterward, he congratulated Afghans on another election and praised the security forces, particularly the air force, for getting ballots to Afghanistan's remotest corners. He also reminded those elected to Parliament that they are there to serve the people and ensure the rule of law.
The Independent Election Commission registered 8.8. Million people. Wasima Badghisy, a commission member, called voters "very, very brave" and said a turnout of 5 million will be a success.
At a polling station in crowded west Kabul, Khoda Baksh said he arrived nearly two hours early to cast his vote, dismissing Taliban threats of violence.
Polls opened in most Afghan regions at 7 a.m. local time (0230 GMT) and will close at 4 p.m., with nearly nine million people eligible to vote in 5,100 polling centers amid heavy security measures across the country.
About 2,450 candidates are competing for places in the 250-seat parliament, according to the Independent Election Commission (IEC).
Source: Press TV, Tasnim
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