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One third of Afghans vote in parliamentary polls - election commission

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About one third of Afghanistan's eligible voters came to polling stations on Saturday to elect a new parliament, the head of the Afghan Independent Election Commission said.

About one third of Afghanistan's eligible voters came to polling stations on Saturday to elect a new parliament, the head of the Afghan Independent Election Commission said.

According to preliminary data, a total of 3,600 people out of 11,400 eligible for voting casted their ballots to elect the 249-seat Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of the country's parliament, Fazil Ahmad Manawi said.

Taliban fighters launched dozens of attacks across the country to prevent people from voting in the polls, Afgnanistan's second general elections since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001.

At least 10 people were killed and several dozen were injured in Taliban rocket attacks on polling stations, according to media reports.

Afghan officials said however the attacks were not serious enough to derail the vote.

A total of 92 percent of polling stations were reportedly open on Saturday across the country. The rest remained closed for security reasons.

Many of the polling stations were largely empty as two thirds of eligible voters stayed home because of the Taliban's intimidation.

Afghan election officials have reportedly seized thousands of fake ballots ahead of the polls, raising concerns about fraud.

Final results of the Afghan polls are expected around October 31.

KABUL, September 18 (RIA Novosti)

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