US base attacked as Afghans prepare to vote in polls

A rocket exploded in the air above the US military compound in the capital, Kabul, before dawn, causing some damage to parked cars and providing a reminder of pledges by the Taliban and their extremist allies to disrupt the landmark election Saturday.

In the eastern city of Jalalabad, a rocket plowed into a house, wounding a young girl and an old man, officials said.

About 18,000 US-led troops are hunting al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders and helping a 42,000-strong Afghan police and military force and 8,000 Nato-led peacekeepers to provide security for the poll. President Hamid Karzai is favorite to win.

Victory for the US-backed Karzai, who is from the majority Pashtun ethnic group that has traditionally ruled Afghanistan, would legitimize his rule and mark a turning point for a country shattered by more than a quarter-century of war.

"I have registered but now I don't want to vote because there is a growing feeling among people that the president is already chosen. So why bother?" said Shaziya, a 25-year-old woman in a Kabul market.

Two of the 18 candidates in the fray have decided to withdraw in Karzai's favor. One was not considered very popular but the other, Sayed Ishaq Gailani, is from one of Afghanistan's best-known families.