Security is tight as the Taliban have warned voters to boycott the poll Two Afghan candidates for Saturday’s parliamentary elections and 18 poll officials and campaign workers have been kidnapped.
The Taliban are suspected of abducting the would-be MPs in the eastern Laghman province and western Herat province.
The militants said they had seized the 18 poll officials and campaign workers in north-western Baddish province.
The Taliban have threatened countrywide attacks on Saturday targeting voters and election workers.
Date of voting: 18 SeptemberNumber of eligible voters: about 10.5 millionNumber of seats: 249Total number of candidates: 2,514, including 406 womenTotal number of polling centres: 6,835Polling centres closed because of security concerns: 1,019Estimated cost: $150m (£95.5m), paid by international partners
Security forces are setting up extra checkpoints across the country to stop suicide bombers and insurgents.
More than 2,500 candidates are standing for 249 seats in the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.
A Taliban spokesman, Zabullah Mojahed, told the BBC they had kidnapped candidate Mawli Hayatullah in Laghman on Friday.
The militants also said they abducted the 18 poll officials and campaign workers in Bagdhis on Thursday.
It has also just emerged that another candidate, Saifullah Mojadedi, was kidnapped in Herat by unknown armed men on Wednesday.
The Taliban have warned voters to boycott the poll and “stick to jihad”.
Preliminary results are to be announced on 22 September, with the final results due on 31 October.
Last year’s presidential poll – won by President Hamid Karzai – was marred by widespread fraud.
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