Stakes high as Afghans go to vote

[jayanthi mandhalapu]

Millions of Afghans are set to vote in the country's second presidential election since the fall of the Taliban.

Militants have threatened to disrupt the polls, in which President Hamid Karzai is running for a second term.

Violence has escalated in recent days and at least five election workers were killed on Wednesday. There are fears some Afghans will be afraid to vote.

But a government order for a media black-out on poll-day attacks so as not to dissuade voters has been criticised.

Some 300,000 Afghan troops and members of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) are being deployed to protect the 17 million registered voters.

Polling stations open at 0700 (0230 GMT) and close at 1600. However, it remains unclear how many of the 6,969 polling sites will operate because of the security threat.

The interior ministry says about a third of the country is at high risk of attack and that no polling stations will be open in eight districts under Taliban control.

There are also concerns about corruption, with reports of voting cards being openly sold and of candidates offering large bribes.

'Sense of menace'

Opinion polls suggest support for Hamid Karzai, who is running against 41 candidates, is at around 45%, with his former foreign minister, Abdullah Abdullah, in second place with 25%.

On Wednesday Mr Karzai urged all registered voters to cast their ballot in defiance of the insurgents.

I'm requesting all our people, wherever they are - in villages, in homes, in remote areas, in valleys - to come out and vote in millions to make this country a greater, better success," he said. "It's good for all of us."

"Enemies will do their best, but it won't help," he added.

Militants have made repeated threats against the polls and more than 25 people have been killed in bombings and attacks in the last two days.

In a statement, the Taliban said 20 suicide bombers had made their way to the capital, Kabul, where they were preparing attacks.

In Helmand province, insurgents warned that anyone with indelible ink on their finger, used to identify people who have voted, would have it cut off.

The BBC's Caroline Wyatt, in the Helmand city of Lashkar Gah, says there is a quiet sense of menace in the province as people weigh up whether to risk going to the polling station.