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Afghan Voters Brave Violence for Election

   Attacks at some of 6,000 polling stations leave several people dead

   VOA News 18 September 2010

Photo: AP

   An  Afghan woman shows her inked finger at a polling station in Kabul,
   Afghanistan,  after  casting  her ballot in parliamentary elections on
   Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Ahmad Massoud)

   Afghans  are  voting for a new parliament amid threats of violence and
   scattered attacks by the Taliban that have killed several people.
   Some 2,500 candidates, including 400 women, are vying for 249 seats in
   the  lower  house of parliament, or wolesi jirga.  Sixty-eight of the
   seats are reserved for women.
   Preliminary  election  results are not expected until next month, with
   final  results  likely  announced  at  the  end  of  October after any
   complaints of fraud or misconduct are resolved.
   International and Afghan observers are monitoring Saturday's election.
   The  Afghan  Defense Ministry said nearly 300,000 police and soldiers,
   backed  by 150,000 international troops, are providing security across
   Afghanistan during the election. Â
   Afghan President Hamid Karzai cast his vote Saturday morning.
   Rocket  attacks  and  bombings  at several of the nearly 6,000 polling
   stations  have killed several people and wounded others.  Hundreds of
   stations  remained  closed because of security concerns.  The Taliban
   has vowed to disrupt the election, and urged voters to stay home.
   Afghan  authorities  say  fake  voter  cards  have  been discovered in
   various parts of the country.

   Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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