The Taliban warned Afghans on Tuesday to keep away from election rallies and ordered its fighters to “stand against” the planned September vote.
The militants and other insurgent groups conducted frequent attacks during previous elections, and this year’s campaign season has already been rocked by deadly violence.
The presidential election is slated for September 28, but the race has got off to a lacklustre start and some candidates have yet to launch their campaigns.
Peace talks
Many observers think the poll will be postponed again — it has already been pushed back twice this year — to create space for a peace deal to be finalised between the U.S. and the Taliban.
The Taliban said its fighters should “stand against this theatrical and sham of a process to their full capabilities” — a clear instruction to conduct attacks.
“To prevent losses, God forbid, from being incurred by our fellow compatriots, they must stay away from gatherings and rallies that could become potential targets,” a message posted on the Taliban’s website stated.
The Taliban said Afghan elections do not “hold any value”, referring to the 2014 presidential poll that was mired in fraud allegations and saw the U.S. broker a power-sharing deal between President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
Last month, on the first day of the campaign season, suicide bombers and gunmen stormed the Kabul office of Amrullah Saleh, Mr. Ghani’s running-mate, killing at least 20 people.
In a statement, Mr. Ghani’s office said security forces are “fully prepared” to protect Afghans against Taliban threats and would not allow anyone to disrupt polls.
“Participation in elections and choosing a leader through direct voting is the religious and legal right of the Afghan people,” it read.
