Afghans defy Taliban threats to vote in parliamentary elections

Voters turned out in large numbers in Lashkar Gah, the capital city of Helmand province, to vote in the Afghan parliamentary elections on Saturday. Both men and women defied threats in Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold, to cast their ballots. The Taliban have vowed to disturb Saturday's vote, warning teachers and students not allow schools to be used for as precincts and warning Afghans to stay away from the polls. Countrywide security was on high alert as Afghan government increased the number of security forces deployed to protect polling stations from 50,000 to 70,000. Elections in the two provinces of Kandahar and Ghazni have been delayed as well as in 11 of the country's nearly 400 districts. The Independent Election Commission registered 8.8. million people as eligible to vote. (AP)