Violence Down Amid Latest Afghan Election, Claims Pentagon

Despite reports that three Afghan poll workers were abducted and killed over the weekend, the Pentagon is claiming that there has been less violence surrounding the country’s parliamentary election compared to last year’s.

Pentagon spokesperson Col. David Lapan told reporters Monday that preliminary assessments show a one-third reduction in significant violence from 2009’s presidential and provincial elections. In addition, Lapan noted that less than one percent of polling places experienced an attack.

While offering little comment on widespread reports of fraud and ballot stuffing, Lapan said that the U.S. led International Security Assistance Force played a largely supervisory role on Saturday.

According to the Afghan government, the previous round of elections last August resulted in 135 attacks and 26 deaths. The lead up to Saturday’s election was marked by approximately 20 related kidnappings. The chairman of Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission Fazil Ahmad Manawi has said that there were at least 93 attacks Saturday.