Kabul, August 18: A Taliban rocket struck the grounds of Afghanistan’s presidential palace today, just two days before incumbent Hamid Karzai seeks re-election in tense polls that could go to a second round.
Not only is Karzai fighting for a fresh mandate, but the election is also a test of US President Barack Obama’s strategy of escalating the eight-year-old conflict in an effort to reverse recent Taliban gains.
–Agencies