Afghans set for historic vote despite violence fear

Afghans are preparing for their first parliamentary election. Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

KABUL - Afghans head to the polls later today for parliamentary elections nearly four years after the Taleban were ousted, with turnout expected to be high despite a wave of militant violence and threats of more.

Eleven people were killed in guerrilla clashes on the eve of the elections for a national assembly and councils in all 34 provinces, but UN organisers said they were confident voting could be held across the country.

Enthusiasm among Afghans to vote in their first free legislative elections in more than 30 years is high.

"I am excited," said 19-year-old high school student Roya Khushal in the southern city of Kandahar.

"We get to choose. I hope they will work for us, work for our society," she said of the new parliament in which women have been reserved 68 of the 249 seats.

The Taleban have called on Afghans to boycott the polls and warned they could be caught up in attacks on foreign troops.

Lieutenant-General Karl Eikenberry, commander of US-led forces in the Muslim country, said Taleban insurgents would not hesitate to attack election workers or voters to try to disrupt the ballot, but they would not succeed.

He predicted a record turnout from the 12.5 million registered to vote.

In a televised pre-election address President Hamid Karzai urged Afghans to vote freely and turn out in large numbers, saying this would help bring a "bright and prosperous future".

A high turnout would be a boost for the US administration, allowing it to portray Afghanistan as a success to set against the gloom from Iraq and Hurricane Katrina in the United States.

The top UN official in the country said the elections signalled the emergence of a new political culture and showed that Afghanistan could resist the rule of the gun.

More than 1,000 people have been killed this year -- most of them guerrillas, but including 49 US troops -- in the bloodiest period since US-led forces overthrew the Taleban in 2001 for failing to give up September 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

Jean Arnault, the UN secretary-general's special representative, condemned the violence -- in which seven candidates and six poll workers have died -- but said the militants had failed to disrupt preparations.

"We are very confident that those extremists will also fail to disrupt and derail polling day tomorrow," he said.

The Taleban vowed, but failed, to disrupt last October's presidential election, won by US-backed Karzai, when more than eight million people turned out to vote.

Analysts have questioned whether parliament will be more of a help or a hindrance to Karzai's still fragile government.

The election, contested on non-party lines, is expected to produce a fragmented assembly focusing on local not national interests. Karzai has not been involved in campaigning but an opposition bloc has vowed to challenge his government.

Four policemen were killed and two wounded when guerrillas ambushed a patrol south of Kabul on Friday night, while seven guerrillas were killed after they ambushed a police convoy in Zabul, a southern hotbed of militant activity, police said.

Twenty insurgents were arrested in the south on Saturday while trying to blow up the country's biggest dam, police said.

One candidate from among more than 5,800 standing was killed this week and another wounded, but there has been no dramatic rise in violence in recent days.

Security has been stepped up throughout the country with about 100,000 troops, including Eikenberry's force of 20,000 and 10,000 Nato-led peacekeepers, guarding voters who will cast ballots at 6,000 polling centres.

Polls open at 6am (1.30pm NZt) and close at 4pm although voters in queues then will be allowed to vote.

Provisional results are expected by October 10 and final results by October 22, but it is expected to be several months before the assembly meets in the old parliament building being renovated. India has pledged to build a new home for the parliament.

- REUTERS