KABUL (AP) — The Taliban say the canceled runoff election in Afghanistan proves that their efforts to derail the vote with threats and attacks were successful.
The Islamist militant group issued a statement Tuesday ahead of a speech by President Hamid Karzai on his recently declared victory. A first round was marred by fraud and Karzai won a runoff vote by default after his only challenger dropped out saying that the election could not be free or fair.
According to a statement posted on the Taliban Web site, "Our brave mujahidin were able to disrupt the entire process."
The Taliban said their recent attack on a guest house filled with U.N. election workers showed that "even they are not safe in Kabul."
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