NEWS JUNKIE POST
Aug 20, 2009 at 11:28 amAfghans Voted In Low Turnout & Amid Violence
Latest update 8/20/09 @ 10:40 PM (US PST). The campaign of Hamid Karzai is claiming victory, the news is confirmed by the BBC & RFI.
The polls are now closed in Afghanistan in an election marked by violence, fear and conflicting reports.
Hamid Karzai made the following statement from his fortified presidential palace in Kabul.
“The Afghans people defied rockets, bombs and intimidation and came out to vote, that is great. Despite problems and intimidation the elections ended successfully,” said Karzai.
However, despite an unprecedented deployment of police, Afghan military & NATO forces accounting for more than 300,000 men, the Taliban managed to conduct 73 attacks in 15 of Afghanistan 34 provinces, resulting in the death of at least 26 people. This figure is according to government officials, some other sources put the number of violent incidents at 135.The international press was barred from reporting on violent incidents by the Karzai administration.
As far as voters turnout, there is conflicting information as well. While Afghan officials praised the turnout as “very good”, independent election observers are more pessimistic and suggest a turnout of less than 50 percent of the electorate. Independent election observers report a low participation especially in the South & Southeastern provinces.
