Taliban vow to attack Afghan poll

BBC NEWS

The Taliban has threatened to launch a fresh wave of violence at next month's presidential run-off in Afghanistan, and urged voters to boycott the poll.

The August vote passed off without major violence, but there were sporadic attacks by Taliban militants.

The warning came as campaigning opened. Incumbent President Hamid Karzai faces Abdullah Abdullah in two weeks' time.

The Afghan electoral commission is trying to stop the widespread fraud that hit the first-round of voting.

It is sacking thousands of corrupt officials, and scrapping polling stations where the fraud was worst.

Taliban threat

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan once again urges their respected countrymen not to participate," the Taliban said in a statement emailed to news agencies.

The 7 November run-off was announced after the Election Complaints Commission decided fraud in August's first round had inflated both candidates' results.

The Taliban called the elections an "American process" and said its fighters would "launch operations against the enemy and stop people from taking part".

Some civilians were reported killed during the August elections as Taliban militants launched rocket and grenade attacks on polling stations in small towns.

At least two voters had their ink-stained fingers cut off after they defied the Taliban call to boycott the polls.