Afghan warlords to face polls ban

Under election law, anyone linked to an armed group is not allowed to run.

An announcement about disqualifications is expected in the next few days, but there are concerns about the impact of the decision so close to election day.

Campaigning is already under way for the parliamentary and provincial elections due on 18 September.

The final number to be excluded from the ballot could still change.

But officials, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, say the decision to announce it before polling day has been taken, confirming a BBC report last month.

It's a controversial last-minute move.

The ballot papers are already printed, which means people will still be able to vote for these disqualified candidates and the officials admit there is a real chance some may win enough votes to qualify for a parliamentary or provincial council seat.

Meanwhile, two hundred Afghan police, supported by US-led coalition forces, killed 13 suspected Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan following a spate of guerrilla-style strikes in the area over the weekend, an Afghan official said Monday.

Earlier a C-130 US military plane carrying US Ambassador Ronald Neumann suffered an engine failure as he returned from a trip upcountry to see preparations for the upcoming Sept. 18 elections. The failure was blamed on an oil leak. Emergency crews were on hand in Kabul when the plane landed safely in Kabul using its remaining three engines.