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| New violence hits Afghan capital | New violence hits Afghan capital |
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| Fresh violence has erupted in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on the eve of the country's presidential election. | Fresh violence has erupted in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on the eve of the country's presidential election. |
| Explosions and gunfire were heard as troops battled insurgents who raided a bank a few hundred metres from the presidential compound, killing three. | Explosions and gunfire were heard as troops battled insurgents who raided a bank a few hundred metres from the presidential compound, killing three. |
| The Taliban has vowed to disrupt the election and said it was behind the raid, but this could not be confirmed. | The Taliban has vowed to disrupt the election and said it was behind the raid, but this could not be confirmed. |
| The government has asked the media not to report violence on election day to avoid deterring people from voting. | The government has asked the media not to report violence on election day to avoid deterring people from voting. |
| But the move has been heavily criticised, and journalists said they would ignore it. | But the move has been heavily criticised, and journalists said they would ignore it. |
| "It is a democratic day, a very important day for our independence, [and] this type of ban does not sit well with democratic principles," Rahimullah Samander, president of the Afghanistan Independent Journalists' Association, told AFP news agency. | "It is a democratic day, a very important day for our independence, [and] this type of ban does not sit well with democratic principles," Rahimullah Samander, president of the Afghanistan Independent Journalists' Association, told AFP news agency. |
| On Tuesday more than 20 people were killed in attacks across the country, including a suicide blast in Kabul. | On Tuesday more than 20 people were killed in attacks across the country, including a suicide blast in Kabul. |
| 'Wasteful' | 'Wasteful' |
| The presidential election on Thursday will be the second since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001. | The presidential election on Thursday will be the second since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001. |
| Hamid Karzai is tipped to be re-elected president in Thursday's polls, although correspondents say he could face a run-off against one of his strongest challengers, ex-Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. Several dozen candidates are in the race. | Hamid Karzai is tipped to be re-elected president in Thursday's polls, although correspondents say he could face a run-off against one of his strongest challengers, ex-Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. Several dozen candidates are in the race. |
| Aid can make a huge difference in Afghanistan - but it has to be well-spent Oxfam statement Afghan election fraud is unearthed In pictures: Kabul car bomb Q&A: Afghan election | Aid can make a huge difference in Afghanistan - but it has to be well-spent Oxfam statement Afghan election fraud is unearthed In pictures: Kabul car bomb Q&A: Afghan election |
| The Taliban says it will use violence to disrupt the poll, prompting the Afghan government to call for a media blackout on any attacks from 0600 to 2000 on polling day. | The Taliban says it will use violence to disrupt the poll, prompting the Afghan government to call for a media blackout on any attacks from 0600 to 2000 on polling day. |
| "All domestic and international media agencies are requested to refrain from broadcasting any incident of violence during the election process from 6am to 8pm on 20 August," the foreign ministry said in a statement. | "All domestic and international media agencies are requested to refrain from broadcasting any incident of violence during the election process from 6am to 8pm on 20 August," the foreign ministry said in a statement. |
| Siamak Herawi, a spokesman for President Karzai, said the blackout would prevent the media from having a "negative impact". | Siamak Herawi, a spokesman for President Karzai, said the blackout would prevent the media from having a "negative impact". |
| "If something happens, this will prevent them from exaggerating it, so that people will not be frightened to come out and vote." | "If something happens, this will prevent them from exaggerating it, so that people will not be frightened to come out and vote." |
| But journalists and activists said Afghans had a right to know about the security threats they faced. | But journalists and activists said Afghans had a right to know about the security threats they faced. |
| Mr Samander, of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, told Reuters news agency: "We condemn such moves to deprive people from accessing news." | Mr Samander, of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, told Reuters news agency: "We condemn such moves to deprive people from accessing news." |
| Afghanistan's media has flourished in the last eight years | Afghanistan's media has flourished in the last eight years |
| The New York-based organisation Human Rights Watch, called the government's position an "unreasonable violation of press freedoms". | The New York-based organisation Human Rights Watch, called the government's position an "unreasonable violation of press freedoms". |
| Aid agency Oxfam also delivered a clear warning on the eve of polling, saying that the elections must be accompanied by major reforms in governance and aid if Afghanistan is to prosper. | Aid agency Oxfam also delivered a clear warning on the eve of polling, saying that the elections must be accompanied by major reforms in governance and aid if Afghanistan is to prosper. |
| Oxfam said that, despite massive investment, one-third of Afghans still faced hunger and poverty. | Oxfam said that, despite massive investment, one-third of Afghans still faced hunger and poverty. |
| The organisation said that billions of dollars of aid have been channelled into Afghanistan by foreign governments since 2001, but these have been "woefully insufficient" to deal with the legacy of three decades of conflict. | The organisation said that billions of dollars of aid have been channelled into Afghanistan by foreign governments since 2001, but these have been "woefully insufficient" to deal with the legacy of three decades of conflict. |
| Too few Afghans were benefitting from the money and much of it had been "ineffective, unco-ordinated or wasteful", Oxfam said. | Too few Afghans were benefitting from the money and much of it had been "ineffective, unco-ordinated or wasteful", Oxfam said. |
| The group said the election of a new government had to be accompanied by major reforms. "Aid can make a huge difference in Afghanistan - but it has to be well-spent," it said. | The group said the election of a new government had to be accompanied by major reforms. "Aid can make a huge difference in Afghanistan - but it has to be well-spent," it said. |
| Taliban attacks | Taliban attacks |
| On Tuesday, despite heightened security ahead of polling day, militants acted on their threats to disrupt election week. | On Tuesday, despite heightened security ahead of polling day, militants acted on their threats to disrupt election week. |
| The Kabul bomb was the deadliest attack on Tuesday | The Kabul bomb was the deadliest attack on Tuesday |
| A suicide car bomb in Kabul targeted a convoy of Western troops, killing 10 people and injuring more than 50. | A suicide car bomb in Kabul targeted a convoy of Western troops, killing 10 people and injuring more than 50. |
| A Nato soldier and nine Afghans, including two UN staff, died in the explosion, the Nato-led force said. The Taliban claimed responsibility. | A Nato soldier and nine Afghans, including two UN staff, died in the explosion, the Nato-led force said. The Taliban claimed responsibility. |
| In other attacks on Tuesday: | In other attacks on Tuesday: |
| • A rocket was fired into the presidential compound in Kabul | • A rocket was fired into the presidential compound in Kabul |
| • Two US soldiers died in a roadside bomb in the east of the country | • Two US soldiers died in a roadside bomb in the east of the country |
| • In the usually peaceful north, an election candidate was shot dead in Jowzjan province, and three poll workers were killed in Badakhshan when their car hit a bomb | • In the usually peaceful north, an election candidate was shot dead in Jowzjan province, and three poll workers were killed in Badakhshan when their car hit a bomb |
| • Two civilians and three Afghan soldiers died when a suicide bomber on foot blew himself up in southern Uruzgan province | • Two civilians and three Afghan soldiers died when a suicide bomber on foot blew himself up in southern Uruzgan province |
| Are you concerned about safety during the election? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you concerned about safety during the election? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |