Eight election commission employees killed in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR: At least eight election commission employees were killed in a Taliban attack in southern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.

The Taliban used explosive-filled vehicles to attack Maruf district centre in southern Kandahar province on Saturday night, Zabiullah Sadaat, an Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman, told AFP.

"Unfortunately, eight employees of the commission who were stationed in the government offices inside the district to register voters were killed," he said.

Qasim Afghan, a Kandahar police spokesman, said some security forces were also killed in the attack, and that communications with the centre of the district were cut off.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Afghanistan's twice-delayed presidential election is now slated for September 28, as the United States tries to negotiate a peace deal with the Taliban.

On Saturday, Washington and the Taliban opened a fresh round of negotiations in Doha aimed at ending America's longest war.

The Taliban also killed at least 25 pro-government militiamen in an attack in northern Afghanistan on Saturday.