Troops clash with gunmen at Afghan bank
Troops clash with gunmen at Afghan bank
Also In The News
|
By Alistair Potter. |  |
Wednesday, 19, Aug 2009 08:12
Security forces are reported to have killed three gunmen at a bank in the Afghan capital Kabul on the eve of the country's presidential election.
Eyewitnesses claim gunfire and explosions were heard as troops clashed with the militants, who are believed to have earlier raided the bank.
The building is said to be just a couple of 100m away from the presidential palace which also came under fire on Tuesday.
The Taliban has vowed to disrupt Thursday's elections, calling for Afghans to boycott the polls and threatening to attack polling stations throughout the day.
Yesterday, more than 20 people were killed in a series of attacks across the country, including a suicide blast in Kabul which killed a number of civilians and United Nations staff.
The gun battle at the bank comes as troops and the Afghan police attempt to tighten security ahead of polling day, with the Taliban warning of more attacks in the lead up to the election.
The Afghan government has urged domestic and foreign media to avoid reporting on pre-election violence in order to prevent voters from being deterred on polling day. inthenews.co.uk has opted to ignore the request.
Some 17 million people are eligible to vote in the elections, with the incumbent president Hamid Karzai expected to face strong opposition from his former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.