Afghan President Hamid Karzai is calling on Taliban and other militantsto vote in the country's upcoming election and not attack the polls.
Mr.Karzai says militants should participate in the August 20 presidentialand provincial council elections, and renounce violence not only onelection day "but forever." He told reporters in Kabul Saturday thatthe vote can help bring peace, security and development.
TheAfghan leader also called on the international community to notinterfere and play an impartial role in the poll. Mr. Karzai isrunning for re-election against 40 other candidates.
The UnitedStates and Afghanistan's other international allies have pledgedthousands of extra troops to prevent attacks and ensure security forthe election.
Saturday, officials said suspected militants killed eight police officers in the southern province of Helmand.
Aprovincial government spokesman, Dawood Ahmadi, says the gunmenambushed a police checkpoint near Laskhar Gah, the provincial capital.