Suicide attack on Kabul election workers kills one, wounds six

KABUL: A suicide bomber targeting the headquarters of Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Monday killed at least one person and wounded six, officials said, in the latest violence to strike the controversial poll. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes as thousands of ballot boxes from around the war-torn country are delivered to the IEC’s heavily fortified compound in Kabul following chaotic and deadly legislative elections.

One police officer was killed when the militant, who was on foot, blew up near a vehicle carrying IEC employees as it entered the base at 8:00am (03:30 GMT). Four election workers and two other police officers were also wounded in the blast.

The attacker was "identified and gunned down by police before reaching his target", Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid told reporters. "The wounded were taken to hospital and are in a stable condition."

Millions of Afghans risked their lives to vote in the long-delayed elections that were held over two weekends. The ballot, which the Taliban had vowed to attack, was marred by lengthy delays at polling centres, allegations of fraud, and deadly violence, with hundreds killed or wounded in scores of attacks. IEC figures show roughly 4.2 million out of the nearly nine million people registered to vote actually cast a ballot.