The brother of Afghanistan's president says the Afghan government is attempting to negotiate a ceasefire with a number of Taliban commanders during next week's presidential election. Ahmad Wali Karzai, head of the provincial council in Kandahar, says no agreements have been signed as yet.

The Taliban denies that any negotiations with the government have taken place. The Islamist militant group has threatened to use violence to disrupt the elections, prompting fears of a low turnout.

President Hamid Karzai is well ahead in the polls but he is not expected to win the 50 percent needed to be elected in the first round of voting.