14 Killed in Afghan Election

The Taliban launched attacks on Afghan voters as they headed to the polls for parliamentary elections Saturday, killing at least 14, including three security officials and 11 civilians. Rockets were fired into provincial centers nationwide. The most deadly attack was a raid on a security station near polls in northern Baghlan province in which six government-supporting militiamen and an Afghan soldier were killed. The election is a major test for Afghanistan and U.S. policy there as the military eyes President Obama’s July 2011 pullout deadline. Because of the intimidation, about 40 percent of Afghanistan's voters turned out—down from the 50 percent participation in 2005's parliamentary election.