UN: 85 Civilians Killed in Attacks Targeting Afghan Election
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 6:27 am
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani walks toward a ballot box before casting his vote at in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 28, 2019.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - A special U.N. report has described the severe impact of election-related violence on Afghanistan's civilians, mainly from the Taliban's campaign targeting its presidential election last month.
The report released Tuesday says attacks aiming to disrupt the electoral process killed 85 people and wounded 373 others across the country. The number includes 277 civilian casualties, 28 killed of whom were killed Sep. 28 on the polling day.
More than one-third of civilian casualties were children, it added.
Afghans voted in presidential elections earlier last month despite Taliban threats and violence. However, the polling was marred by widespread misconduct and accusations of fraud as well as controversy over what appeared to be low turnout and claims from a lead contender, Abdullah Abdullah, that he had won the vote.