Kabul: The number of violent incidents during Afghanistan`s Parliamentary Election was higher than during last year`s presidential poll but significantly fewer were killed and injured, NATO said on Sunday.
A total of 485 violent incidents took place yesterday, when Afghans went to the polls beneath a shadow of Taliban threats to attack polling stations, election workers, security forces and any civilians who dared to vote.
The figures were provided by NATO`s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which put the number of violent incidents on August 20 last year, the day of the Presidential Election, at 479.
A total of 22 people were killed yesterday, it said, compared to almost 50 on election day last year, which was widely characterised as Afghanistan`s most violent day since the current war against the Taliban began in late 2001.
According to figures, NATO calculated that seven Afghan civilians were killed on Saturday, and another 34 wounded in election-related violence across the country.
Eleven members of the Afghan security forces were killed, it said, and another 31 wounded.
ISAF has reported four foreign soldiers killed while battling the Taliban yesterday, and a NATO spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said another 36 ISAF soldiers were wounded in various incidents throughout the day.
Across the country there were 57 "IED strikes", the spokesman said, referring to improvised explosive devices which are widely deployed by Taliban insurgents, causing high casualties and devastating injuries.
PTI
