From correspondents in Kabul, Afghanistan | May 03
THE UN and Afghanistan's top rights body today called on Taliban militants to take part in presidential elections due in August instead of attacking the polls.
Afghans are due to vote for a new leader in the nation's second-ever presidential ballot on August 20 amid mounting violence in an ongoing Taliban-led insurgency.
"I expect that every Afghan, where ever they are, even in the districts under the control of the enemies of Afghanistan, takes part in the elections,'' Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission chief Sima Samar said.
The Taliban control several districts in southern Afghanistan, where fighting between the insurgents and Afghan and international soldiers is its most intense.
Nations with troops in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helping Afghanistan to deal with the insurgent threat have pledged thousands of extra soldiers to help protect the polls.
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) head Kai Eide told the same briefing: "It is important to stretch out a hand and say it's better to compete at the ballot boxes than fight on the battlefield.''
Mr Eide also called on the European Union to send as many observers "as they can'' to watch for irregularities in the polls, amid concerns about fraud.
Fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has called on Afghans to boycott the elections.
The Taliban were in power between 1996 and 2001 and are fighting an increasingly deadly insurgency against the Government of President Hamid Karzai, who was elected in 2004.
Mr Karzai has pressed for peace talks with Taliban who renounce violence and are not linked to al-Qaeda .
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