Afghan Election Commission Employees Kidnapped In North

KABUL -- Three employees of the Afghan election commission have been kidnapped in northern Afghanistan.

Officials said on September 19 that the three were kidnapped in Almar district in the northern province of Faryab.

Mohammad Aman, head of the election office in the province, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that the workers include a woman.

The team was distributing voter-registration cards in the remote area.

Provincial police chief Nabi Jan Mallakhel confirmed they were kidnapped by unknown armed men. No one has claimed responsibility for the abductions.

On September 18, an Afghan election official was killed in a drive-by shooting in the northeastern city of Konduz.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.

The Taliban has warned citizens against participating in next year's polls.

Afghanistan's presidential election is scheduled for April 5.