Multiple blasts rock Kabul as Afghans vote in elections

Multiple blasts rock polling stations in the capital Kabul as people in Afghanistan go to polls in parliamentary elections overshadowed by assassination of candidates. 

 

Multiple blasts rock polling stations in the capital Kabul as people in Afghanistan go to polls in parliamentary elections overshadowed by assassination of candidates. 

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.” 

The blasts also came even as around 70,000 security forces have been deployed to protect polling centers across the war-torn country. 

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).