Afghanistan

Afghans headed back to the polls on Saturday for a second round of voting to elect a successor to President Hamid Karzai in a decisive test of Afghanistan's ambitions to transfer power democratically for the first time in its tumultuous history. 

Afghan refugees suspended a sit-in protest in front of the Ankara headquarters of the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) on June 7 after 53 days amid increased pressure from the police, vowing to return to demonstrate if they did not receive a concrete answer to their demands.
 

A suicide bomber struck the convoy of Abdullah Abdullah, the front-runner in the first round of Afghanistan's presidential election, near the capital Kabul.

Four civilians were killed in the explosion and some of Abdullah's guards were wounded, but the candidate himself has no injuries, as Al-Jazeera English reports citing a televised statement he made shortly after the incident.

Taliban insurgents threatened Monday to attack Afghanistan's run-off presidential election, warning voters to stay away from polling stations for fear of injury or death.
      
Afghans are due to go to the polls on June 14 to choose whether Ashraf Ghani or Abdullah Abdullah should succeed President Hamid Karzai.
      

A suicide bomber yesterday killed three Turkish engineers and wounded another in eastern Afghanistan in the latest attack on foreigners in the war-torn country, while Taliban denied responsibility.

A suicide bomber killed three Turkish engineers and wounded another one on June 2 in eastern Afghanistan, the latest attack on foreigners in the war-torn country.
      
It came after the US and the Taliban sealed a dramatic prisoner swap that saw soldier Bowe Bergdahl released for five senior insurgent figures, raising hopes for peace as foreign forces prepare to withdraw.

A roadside bomb killed 12 civilians, including seven women in eastern Afghanistan Saturday.

The Taliban on Wednesday condemned President Barack Obama's announcement that US troops would stay in Afghanistan until the end of 2016.
      

Three American hospital workers have been killed in the Afghan capital Kabul on Thursday.

Local police confirmed that the hospital guard opened fire for unknown reasons, shooting 4 medical personnel, 3 of whom died, CNN reports. The guard then tried to commit suicide, but survived.

Afghanistan is holding elections for President on Saturday, amidst tight security around the country.

This will be the first democratic transfer of power in the country, as incumbent Hamid Karzai cannot run for a third consecutive term. He has been in office since the end of 2001.