Taliban urge Afghan poll boycott
30 July 2009
The Taliban have called on people in Afghanistan to boycott next month's presidential and provincial elections.
In a statement on a Taliban website, the movement ordered fighters to block roads on the eve of the elections and stop voters going to polling stations.
The statement said that participation in the vote would be a show of support for "invading Americans".
Afghanistan has seen a rise in violence ahead of the poll and there are grave concerns about security on the day.
Correspondents say this is the most specific threat yet made by the Taliban in the run-up to the elections on 20 August, but it is not an unexpected move.
The Taliban have always maintained they want foreign forces to leave the country and have made general calls for election boycotts before. source: bbc.com