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Officials: Attacks kill 26 on Afghan election day

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-08-20 23:08

Afghan policemen carry the bodies of two gunmen killed after a shootout in Kabul August 20, 2009. [Agencies]

KABUL: Afghanistan's top security officials say 26 civilians and security forces have died in election-day militant attacks.

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The deaths came as millions of Afghans cast ballots for president and provincial councils around the country. Security officials say eight Afghan soldiers, nine police and nine civilians died.

The scattered but minor attacks may have kept turnout down in some regions of Afghanistan, especially in the violent south.

A top Afghan election official tells The Associated Press he expects overall turnout to be 40 to 50 percent of the country's 15 million registered voters.