The leader of an Afghan rebel group fighting US and Afghan forces told French media in interviews published Tuesday that he "totally rejects" Saturday's parliamentary elections in Afghanistan. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Afghan warlord and former prime minister, told France's RFI radio and Liberation newspaper that his Hizb-i-Islami group "isn't participating in these elections overseen by foreigners."
Hekmatyar's group fights mainly in eastern Afghanistan and is one of the only major insurgent groups that has openly talked peace with President Hamid Karzai's government. Hekmatyar has a reputation of being a ruthless Islamic extremist, whose power has waned over the years. He commands far fewer fighters than the Taliban.
The comments came in response to questions sent to him in mid-July. They answered in a hand-delivered video this month. Tensions have been rising in Afghanistan in the run-up to the weekend vote. The Taliban has vowed to target polling stations and warned Afghans not to participate in what it calls a sham election. Hekmatyar called again on foreign troops to leave Afghanistan, and said members of his group will not be joining Karzai's government.