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| 8 Afghan Air Force Officers Killed in Suicide Bombing | 8 Afghan Air Force Officers Killed in Suicide Bombing |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber killed eight Afghan Air Force officers on Wednesday after boarding a bus carrying them through central Kabul, in one of the first major attacks in the capital in months. | KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber killed eight Afghan Air Force officers on Wednesday after boarding a bus carrying them through central Kabul, in one of the first major attacks in the capital in months. |
| The early morning attack in the Karte-Sakhi neighborhood left a scene of carnage on the street, with limbs and blood lining the road and clinging to tree branches. The Defense Ministry reported that 13 people had also been seriously wounded in the blast. | The early morning attack in the Karte-Sakhi neighborhood left a scene of carnage on the street, with limbs and blood lining the road and clinging to tree branches. The Defense Ministry reported that 13 people had also been seriously wounded in the blast. |
| Violence in Kabul has been relatively low in the last few months, especially compared with early spring, when a series of attacks before the first round of the presidential elections rattled residents. While the Taliban managed to create an atmosphere of terror in the city before the April vote, bombings and attacks have largely been absent since. | |
| Other parts of Afghanistan, however, have been engulfed in Taliban violence, the vast majority of it directed at the security forces. In one of the worst cases, in the Sangin district of Helmand Province, a Taliban offensive has caused heavy casualties, particularly among the police. Although some government officials in Kabul have claimed that the fighting is over, officials in Sangin say that the violence has continued and that the Taliban remain a force there. | Other parts of Afghanistan, however, have been engulfed in Taliban violence, the vast majority of it directed at the security forces. In one of the worst cases, in the Sangin district of Helmand Province, a Taliban offensive has caused heavy casualties, particularly among the police. Although some government officials in Kabul have claimed that the fighting is over, officials in Sangin say that the violence has continued and that the Taliban remain a force there. |
| Heavy violence has been reported in provinces around Kabul as well, including Logar and Kapisa, although tracking these incidents has become increasingly difficult. The Afghan government offers only limited and sometimes inaccurate information, while the oversight of international coalition forces, who are on the cusp of withdrawing, diminishes by the day. | Heavy violence has been reported in provinces around Kabul as well, including Logar and Kapisa, although tracking these incidents has become increasingly difficult. The Afghan government offers only limited and sometimes inaccurate information, while the oversight of international coalition forces, who are on the cusp of withdrawing, diminishes by the day. |
| Security officials say that the insurgents’ focus away from the capital has seemed to be a calculated tactic, both to avoid bad publicity and the heavy concentration of security forces here. The only other deadly attack in Kabul so far this summer was an attempt on the life of the presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah, which killed several security guards. | |
| If it had succeeded, that attack would have all but derailed the election. As it stands, the political process has broken down, though because of fraud accusations rather than direct violence. | If it had succeeded, that attack would have all but derailed the election. As it stands, the political process has broken down, though because of fraud accusations rather than direct violence. |
| Since the June 14 runoff vote, Mr. Abdullah has stuck to his accusations that his opponent, Ashraf Ghani, had committed widespread fraud with the help of the country’s electoral commission and the support of President Hamid Karzai. | Since the June 14 runoff vote, Mr. Abdullah has stuck to his accusations that his opponent, Ashraf Ghani, had committed widespread fraud with the help of the country’s electoral commission and the support of President Hamid Karzai. |
| Mr. Abdullah has declared the entire system bankrupt, leaking audio recordings that apparently show a top election official colluding to rig the race for Mr. Ghani. And Mr. Abdullah’s supporters have staged large protests across the country to demand an honest vote. | Mr. Abdullah has declared the entire system bankrupt, leaking audio recordings that apparently show a top election official colluding to rig the race for Mr. Ghani. And Mr. Abdullah’s supporters have staged large protests across the country to demand an honest vote. |
| With each step, Mr. Ghani has dismissed the accusations as false, suggesting that the tapes are fake and urging Mr. Abdullah to re-enter the process. The Afghan government and international officials here have also urged Mr. Abdullah to work within the system. | With each step, Mr. Ghani has dismissed the accusations as false, suggesting that the tapes are fake and urging Mr. Abdullah to re-enter the process. The Afghan government and international officials here have also urged Mr. Abdullah to work within the system. |
| Now, in a sign of potential re-engagement by Mr. Abdullah, officials said Wednesday that the two campaigns had started discussions for the first time since the runoff. | Now, in a sign of potential re-engagement by Mr. Abdullah, officials said Wednesday that the two campaigns had started discussions for the first time since the runoff. |
| “Meetings between our delegations have started,” said Baryalai Arsalai, Mr. Abdullah’s campaign manager, at a news conference. “The leaders of the team have not yet met, but talks are underway at the delegation level.” | “Meetings between our delegations have started,” said Baryalai Arsalai, Mr. Abdullah’s campaign manager, at a news conference. “The leaders of the team have not yet met, but talks are underway at the delegation level.” |
| Officials said that Vice President Yunus Qanooni, a veteran politician and a supporter of Mr. Abdullah, has been working at the behest of Mr. Karzai to try to break the stalemate. | Officials said that Vice President Yunus Qanooni, a veteran politician and a supporter of Mr. Abdullah, has been working at the behest of Mr. Karzai to try to break the stalemate. |
| As recently as Monday, Mr. Abdullah had vowed not to cooperate with the electoral system at all, after a list of demands his team sent to the Independent Election Commission was flatly rejected. He has asked the United Nations to take a role in verifying the ballots and demanded that the commission delay the release of preliminary results, originally scheduled for Wednesday. | As recently as Monday, Mr. Abdullah had vowed not to cooperate with the electoral system at all, after a list of demands his team sent to the Independent Election Commission was flatly rejected. He has asked the United Nations to take a role in verifying the ballots and demanded that the commission delay the release of preliminary results, originally scheduled for Wednesday. |
| The commission appears to have backtracked, delaying the announcement by several days. The move, according to the commission, was done so that officials could re-examine ballot boxes at 1,930 polling stations. | The commission appears to have backtracked, delaying the announcement by several days. The move, according to the commission, was done so that officials could re-examine ballot boxes at 1,930 polling stations. |
| “This was done to ensure the transparency of the presidential election,” said Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, the commission’s chairman. “I think to audit this number of polling stations, it requires time, which is why we delayed the announcement of the preliminary results.” | “This was done to ensure the transparency of the presidential election,” said Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, the commission’s chairman. “I think to audit this number of polling stations, it requires time, which is why we delayed the announcement of the preliminary results.” |
| Mr. Abdullah’s campaign has insisted that it is not pursuing the brinkmanship to secure a victory. Rather, it wants to ensure that the fraud it believes was committed is erased. | Mr. Abdullah’s campaign has insisted that it is not pursuing the brinkmanship to secure a victory. Rather, it wants to ensure that the fraud it believes was committed is erased. |
| “We don’t want to simply bring changes to the system in our favor,” Mr. Arsalai said. “What we want is to have Dr. Ghani’s team’s hand in a transparent, free and fair election outcome.” | “We don’t want to simply bring changes to the system in our favor,” Mr. Arsalai said. “What we want is to have Dr. Ghani’s team’s hand in a transparent, free and fair election outcome.” |
| For his part, Mr. Ghani insisted that he was willing to work with Mr. Abdullah to address his complaints. | For his part, Mr. Ghani insisted that he was willing to work with Mr. Abdullah to address his complaints. |
| “Dr. Abdullah and I are two Afghans who have a common commitment to stability and prosperity of this country,” he said. “We don’t need any mediation. I am willing to meet with Dr. Abdullah any time in any place. To an Afghan process, should Dr. Abdullah prefer U.N. mediation as second-best option? That is again fine with us.” | “Dr. Abdullah and I are two Afghans who have a common commitment to stability and prosperity of this country,” he said. “We don’t need any mediation. I am willing to meet with Dr. Abdullah any time in any place. To an Afghan process, should Dr. Abdullah prefer U.N. mediation as second-best option? That is again fine with us.” |