Afghan Group Threatens to Sabotage President’s Poll With Attacks

(Bloomberg) -- The Taliban has warned Afghan citizens to boycott presidential elections or face attacks at rallies, as the militant group nears a peace deal with the U.S.

The polls are a “ploy to deceive the common people” because foreigners hold the ultimate decision-making power, according to a statement emailed by the group’s spokesman Yousef Ahmadi, referring to the U.S. and its allies. The group that contests or controls half of the country said the elections are just a “waste of time, money and resources.”

The September 28 polls are being contested by 18 candidates including President Ashraf Ghani, who is seeking a second term, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and former National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar. The U.S. brokered a power-sharing deal between Ghani and Abdullah in the last elections in 2014 that were marred by violence and rigging allegations.

The violence “can prevent people from participating in the polling,” Ahmad Saeedi, a Kabul-based political analyst, said by phone. The deadly elections will “undermine its legitimacy.”

The militant group refuses to hold talks with the government in Kabul until it first reaches a binding deal with the Trump administration on withdrawing foreign forces. The U.S. special envoy on Afghan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, said recently they made “excellent progress” on the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The Taliban have increased attacks across the country recently, while Ghani says the group can’t seek more concessions in the talks through the deadly attacks.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eltaf Najafizada in Kabul at enajafizada1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ruth Pollard at rpollard2@bloomberg.net, Khalid Qayum, Unni Krishnan

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