KABUL, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's election commission chief Hawa Alam Nuristani on Friday called upon her compatriots to use their franchise in electing the country's president on Saturday, amid security threats as the anti-government militants have vowed to disrupt the voting process.
"I am calling upon all Afghans to vote on the voting day for the better future of Afghanistan," Nuristani said at a press conference here.
She also called on the main armed opposition group -- the Taliban not to disrupt the voting process.
"I am calling upon the Taliban not to create problem for the people who want to vote in the elections," she said.
Afghanistan's fourth presidential election since the collapse of Taliban regime in late 2001 is slated for Sept. 28, where more than 9.4 million eligible voters are expected to vote to elect the country's next president.
However, the Taliban outfit that has been fighting to regain power has vowed to disrupt the voting process.
The armed militants, according to security officials, have intensified activities but failed to gain grounds.
Taliban fighters launched massive offensive in Dehandara area of Pashtunkot district in the northern Faryab province on Thursday night, triggering fierce fighting which lasted until Friday morning, during which seven security personnel and 11 militants were killed, police spokesman in the province Abdul Karim Yurash said Friday.
According to the official, four security personnel and five militants wounded in the fighting that lasted for several hours.
However, in a counter-claim, a Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi claimed that the militants captured Qaramqul district in the restive Faryab province on Thursday and inflicted huge casualties to security personnel.
Another Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Majahid has also claimed that the militants' attack claimed the lives of five security personnel and injured seven others in Jalriz district of Wardak province on Thursday.
A rocket fired by militants claimed the lives of two civilians and wounded six others in Ali Abad district of the northern Kunduz province on Friday, police spokesman in the province Inamudin Rahmani told Xinhua.
Meanwhile, Deputy to Interior Ministry, General Khoshal Sadat has dismissed the security threats and said that the "security forces have taken all security measures to provide security for the people to cast their vote on Saturday."
Voting for Afghanistan's presidential elections begins at 07:00 a.m. local time and ends at 03:00 p.m. local time Saturday and might be extended depending on the turn out of the voters, an official with the election body, Abdullah said Friday.
