Mass Graves Found Linked to Afghan Poll Candidates

[Charlie Brown]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL111194.htm

KABUL, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Afghan police have found mass graves of hundreds of communist troops killed after surrendering to mujahideen forces in the 1980s, a crime in which at least two election candidates are implicated, officials said on Thursday.

The graves were discovered about three weeks ago in Saraqala, a remote part of the southeastern province of Paktika, said a provincial police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"It's believed that these people were killed in 1989," he said. "There was a government brigade that went missing and they captured them. There are at least 300-500 people -- we have counted from their belts, uniforms, boots and bones."

The presence on the poll lists of factional leaders and former communist officials blamed for such crimes has been cited by some analysts as a reason for the relatively low turnout this year compared with last year's presidential elections.