Election posters of parliamentary candidates, which have been hanging on poles in Kabul, are being ripped down in a campaign by the Taliban who have announced plans to disrupt Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections.

A Taliban spokesman has told reporters that the election, scheduled for September 18th, will be derailed.

He said the posters were simply for the benefit of foreigners "occupying the country.

He urged the Afghan people to boycott the election, which will involve some 2,500 candidates competing for 249 seats in Afghanistan’s lower house of parliament.

The Taliban’s threat to derail the election follows plans by the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to open peace talks at a High Peace Council, to which former members of the Taliban have been invited.