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The Taliban issued a fresh call for Afghans to boycott this week's parliamentary elections on Thursday, denouncing the vote as a foreign-imposed process.
The statement was the third such call and followed a similar message on Wednesday telling teachers not to participate as election workers in polling stations, many of which are located in schools.
It said the elections "are a foreign plot to prolong occupation" and said it was the duty of every Afghan to oppose them.
"Consequently, preachers and prayer leaders must inform their constituency, while tribal leaders and influential figures must prevent participation by the public," the statement said.
An Afghan lawmaker contesting this week's parliamentary elections was among four people killed on Wednesday by a bomb planted under his office chair, officials said, an attack claimed by the Taliban.The MP, Abdul Jabar Qahraman, was killed as he prepared for Saturday's election, a senior government official said, becoming the 10th candidate killed in the past two months, with two more abducted and four wounded by hardline Islamist militants."Such brutal acts of the terrorists and their supporters cannot weaken people's trust in the peaceful and democratic processes," President Abdul Ghani said in a statement condemning the attack.The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast in the southern province of Helmand, saying in a statement, "We have killed Qahraman, a renowned communist."India, China launch joint training for Afghanistan, plan more projectsThe Taliban have ordered Afghans to boycott the much-delayed parliamentary polls in their battle to overthrow the Western-backed government and establish their own Islamist regime.Three men sitting in Qahraman's office at the time were also killed, said interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi, adding that police had arrested three suspects in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.The blast wounded seven people, said Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor."A bomb was placed below Qahraman's chair in his campaign office," he added. "We are investigating the incident."Wednesday's blast follows the deaths of 22 people last week in an explosion at an election rally for a woman candidate in the northeastern province of Takhar.
Afghan lawmaker among four killed in Taliban blast ahead of elections
The elections for the lower house of parliament are due to take place on Saturday but preparations have been dogged by chaotic organisation and allegations of widespread fraud as well as worries that polling stations will be attacked.
Thousands of police and soldiers have been deployed across the country to ensure security but already nine candidates have been assassinated and hundreds of people have been killed and wounded in election-related attacks.
Although the Taliban say they will not deliberately target civilians, security officials say attacks are likely on Saturday morning to deter voters from going to polling stations.
The Taliban's strong opposition to the vote comes against a backdrop of contacts with U.S. officials over possible talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan, with both sides attempting to secure the upper hand before any formal negotiations begin.
The elections, which have been repeatedly delayed, are seen as a key credibility test for Afghanistan's democratic institutions but with two days left until the vote, officials were still rushing to complete preparations.
Untested biometric voter registration equipment introduced at the last minute at the demand of political parties was still being sent out and set up in remote provincial voting centres and it was unclear whether it would be ready in time.
Some 8.8 million names have been registered but millions of these are believed to be fraudulently recorded and the real number of likely voters is unknown.
The lower house of parliament, with 249 seats and an extra seat reserved for the small Sikh community, has little power but the elections are seen as a vital step before more important presidential elections in April next year.
District council elections, which were due to be held alongside the parliamentary elections, have been abandoned and in Ghazni province voting will be delayed because of arguments over the representation of different ethnic groups.