UN Chief urges Afghans to vote
UN: UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on all eligible Afghan
voters to cast their ballots in landmark polls to help strengthen
Afghanistan’s democratic institutions.
“The Secretary General encourages all Afghan women and men eligible
to vote to cast their ballots in the upcoming presidential and
provincial council elections,” a UN statement said, referring to
Thursday’s vote.
“By participating in these elections, the Afghan people will help
Afghanistan strengthen its democratic institutions, bring fresh vigor to
the country’s political life, and ultimately reaffirm their commitment
to contribute to the peace and prosperity of their nation.”
Ban also urged all candidates, their supporters, as well as domestic
and international observers to help “ensure a smooth and successful
electoral process.”
In the runup to the landmark elections, the Taliban have stepped up
attacks across Afghanistan. At least 21 people were killed on Tuesday
and a rocket slammed into the presidential compound in Kabul.
The attacks followed renewed Taliban threats to sabotage Thursday’s
elections in which 17 million Afghans are eligible to vote.
But the NATO-led coalition said that despite a spike in insurgent
strikes, less than one percent of polling stations are at risk of being
attacked.
Also on Tuesday, a suicide car bomb targeted a NATO convoy on a busy
road near a US military base and a market, killing 10 people including a
NATO soldier, and wounding more than 50, officials said.
Ban earlier expressed distress over the death of two UN staffers in
the second deadly suicide attack targeting NATO in Kabul in two days.
UN, Wednesday, AFP
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