14 civilians killed in polling centres across Afghanistan

Over 14 civilians were killed and 41 injured in Afghanistan in attacks targeting polling centres across the country Saturday, sources said.

"A total of 14 civilians were killed and 41 civilians wounded during attacks launched by Taliban insurgents on polling centres during presidential election runoff held Saturday," Xinhua quoted the deputy interior minister in charge of security, General Mohammad Ayoub Salangi, as saying Saturday.

The Afghanistan presidential election runoff started Saturday morning and concluded at around 4 p.m..

Salangi said the militants launched more than 150 attacks and also fired rocket propelled grenades.

The attacks also included 15 roadside bombings and at least one ambush.

The majority of the Taliban attacks took place in Nangarhar, Kunar, Badakhshan, Faryab and Herat provinces, he said.

The runoff election will decide whether former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah or ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai will lead the country into a new era with declining international military and civilian assistance.

The preliminary results of the runoff will be clear July 2 while the final result will be announced July 22.

Unofficial sources said 15 security men were killed and several dozens wounded in these incidents.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since the militant group launched an annual rebel offensive against Afghan government forces.

The Afghan security forces are taking over security from more than 52,000 NATO-led foreign troops who are set to leave the country by the year-end.