Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan presidential candidate
"Officials in Afghanistan say gunmen have shot dead two aides of Afghan presidential candidate, Abdullah Abdullah in Herat on the eve of the official election campaign. The spokesman for Mr Abdullah, Sayed Fazel Sangcharaki says armed men killed Dr Ahmad Hamdard who was to lead their election campaign team and another team member. He says the incident at the beginning of the election campaign is a bad sign....Chief Electoral Officer for the Independent Election Commission, Ziaulhaq Amarkhil says the election on April 5 will be a crucial election for the nation. He says there will be a 'huge difference' between the coming vote and the previous two presidential elections, in 2009 and 2004. 'This is the first time from an elected president we are going to go to another elected president,' he said."