UN chief urges Afghans to vote in general elections

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on the Afghan people to take part in the upcoming presidential and provincial elections.

"The secretary-general encourages all Afghan women and men eligible to vote to cast their ballot" in the Aug. 20 elections, Ban said in a statement issued by his press office.

"By participating in these elections, the Afghan people will help Afghanistan strengthen its democratic institutions, bring fresh vigour to the country's political life, and ultimately reaffirm their commitment to contribute to the peace and prosperity of their nation," he said.

Ban urged "all candidates, their supporters, political party agents, and domestic and international observers" to continue to cooperate with relevant Afghan and international parties "to ensure a smooth and successful electoral process."

The number of presidential candidates were reduced from the beginning 41 to 33 as seven have vowed to support sitting President Hamid Karzai and another stepped out in favor of Abdullah Abdullah, the main rival of Karzai.

Taliban militants has repeated their threat to disrupt the election and called on Afghans to boycott the voting.

Attacks and violence have been escalating as Afghans are getting ready to go to polling stations.

Two separate attacks occurred in Kabul in a single day on Tuesday, just two days before the elections.

A suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden car targeted a convoy of international troops on Kabul-Jalalabad road, killing seven people including two UN staffers of Afghan nationality, and wounding 50 others.

Earlier in the day, two rockets fired by militants slammed in to the capital city, causing no loss of life.