Accessibility links

Breaking News

UN: Record Number of Afghans Killed or Wounded During October Parliamentary Elections


An Afghan policeman keeps watch at a checkpoint during parliamentary elections in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 20, 2018.
An Afghan policeman keeps watch at a checkpoint during parliamentary elections in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 20, 2018.

The United Nations says more than 400 Afghans were killed or wounded in attacks during last month's parliamentary elections.

In a report released Tuesday by the U.N.'s Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA), 56 people were killed and 379 wounded on October 20, the first day of voting, and on following days when delayed voting took place. UNAMA says the casualty toll was higher in this election than in the four previous elections.

Policemen inspect an area after a bomb explosion near a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 20, 2018.
Policemen inspect an area after a bomb explosion near a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 20, 2018.

The U.N. report said the Taliban carried out attacks using rockets, grenades, mortars and improvised explosive devices. The mission said the Taliban also engaged in a campaign of intimidating and threatening voters before the election, including abducting hundreds of civilians.

Ballots from the October 20 elections are still being tallied, and the initial results are not expected to be announced until later this month.

  • 16x9 Image

    VOA News

    The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.

XS
SM
MD
LG