KABUL, Aug. 18
(Xinhua) -- In recent pre-election violent attack, Taliban militants Tuesday set
on fire a boys' school which was supposed to be a polling center for Aug. 20
election in Paktia province, east Afghanistan, an official said.
"Armed militants burned a school in the wee hours of
Tuesday in Sayed Karam district," Aziz Ahmad Wardak, police chief of Paktia,
told Xinhua.
The school, where some 450 boys studied, was supposed
to be used as a polling station on Election Day on Thursday, but burned by
enemies of Afghanistan, he added.
Moreover, Zabihullah Mujahid who claimed to speak for
Taliban militants told Xinhua from undisclosed location via cell phone that any
school or other buildings would be destroyed if they are used as polling
centers.
Afghanistan's second presidential and provincial
election is set for Aug. 20 while Taliban militants have vowed to derail
it.
