The Taliban punish Afghans for voting in presidential run-off
- 10 years ago
Eleven Afghan civilians have had a finger cut off by the Taliban as a punishment for voting in this weekend’s presidential run-off.
More than 40 people have died and 70 others wounded in election-related violence.
Before the poll the Taliban had proclaimed it a sham and had threatened to disrupt the process.
One victim said he had voted to choose a president but was then kidnapped and had his finger chopped off.
A local doctor said their fingers, which had been marked with the special election ink to show they had voted were amputated with a sharp cutter without any local anesthetic.
Both presidential candidates claim to be leading the contest but both say they are concerned about fraud.
The UN has urged Abdullah Abdullah and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani to honour the outcome when the results are announced at the end of July.
Despite the bloodshed millions of Afghans turned out to elect a successor to President Hamid Karzai.
More than 40 people have died and 70 others wounded in election-related violence.
Before the poll the Taliban had proclaimed it a sham and had threatened to disrupt the process.
One victim said he had voted to choose a president but was then kidnapped and had his finger chopped off.
A local doctor said their fingers, which had been marked with the special election ink to show they had voted were amputated with a sharp cutter without any local anesthetic.
Both presidential candidates claim to be leading the contest but both say they are concerned about fraud.
The UN has urged Abdullah Abdullah and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani to honour the outcome when the results are announced at the end of July.
Despite the bloodshed millions of Afghans turned out to elect a successor to President Hamid Karzai.