Afghans praised for voting despite Taliban threats

Western supporters praised Afghans for braving Taliban threats and voting in the country’s second parliamentary election since the US-led invasion in 2001. Nato says 18 Afghans were killed on election day on Saturday in bomb and rocket attacks across the country.

Reuters/Andrew Biraj

Close to 500 violent incidents shook the country on Saturday, revealing an increase in violence since presidential elections last year, Nato figures show.

 
Over three and a half million voters went to the polls, which amounts to 40 percent of the maximum number of voters, initial results show. However, there have been many reports of fraud which may question results.
 

On Sunday, The United States praised Afghanistan on conducting its first "fully Afghan-led parliamentary elections under extremely difficult circumstances".

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also congratulated Afghans for their “courage and determination” in shaping the future of their country.

 More than 2,500 candidates were vying for the 249 seats of the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.

The United States and Nato have almost 150,000 troops in the country fighting to bring the war to an end, now in its tenth year.

In an explosion unrelated to Saturday’s election, two British soldiers were killed on Sunday in Helmand province, the British ministry of defence says.