Militants kill seven Afghans carrying voter cards

Suspected Taliban rebels fatally shot seven Afghans carrying voter registration cards after ambushing their vehicle in a central province, a senior official said Wednesday.

The bodies of seven civilians, all men, were found on a main road in Gizab district of Uruzgan province on Tuesday, along with the cards that entitle them to vote in Sunday's parliamentary and provincial elections.

Provincial Gov. Jan Mohammed Khan blamed Taliban rebels and said militants had launched similar attacks before last year's presidential elections.

"The Taliban are doing these terrorist activities and killing innocent Muslims. I don't know what kind of Muslims they are, finding voter cards and killing Muslims," Khan said.

He said police had been sent to the area and were investigating.

Supporters of the former ruling Taliban oppose the elections, the next key step in Afghanistan's transition to democracy after two decades of war.

Fighting has left more than 1,200 people dead in the past six months, including five candidates and four election workers.

The U.S. military and NATO peacekeepers have boosted their forces and say rebel threats won't stop the vote.

Meanwhile, suspected Taliban militants killed a man who worked for Afghan intelligence on Tuesday in Khake district of southern Zabul province, said district Chief Ghulam Haider, reports the AP.