The Pakistani Taliban on Friday warned the country's 86 million electorate not to vote in Saturday's landmark elections, telling them to keep away to "save their lives". "Democracy is against Islam and is a system for infidels. Being a Muslim, it's our responsibility to reject this thinking and ideology and be a part of the struggle to enforce Islamic sharia," spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP.

Bangladesh should hold an independent probe into a police crackdown on Islamist protests in which dozens died earlier this week to prevent future "bloodbaths", a global human rights body urged Saturday. There are varying death tolls but an AFP tally from police and medical sources shows 38 people were killed Sunday and Monday when police sought to end protests by tens of thousands of Islamists in Dhaka and other locations.

Hundreds of Tunisians, including police, human rights activists and political party representatives, protested on Friday against "terrorism" after the government said two wanted jihadist groups had ties with Al-Qaeda. Several hundred protesters gathered outside the national assembly shouting "Tunisia is free, terrorism out!" and waving placards with slogans including: "We support the security forces and the army in the war against terrorism."

MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan - Pakistani intelligence officials say two bombs targeting the offices of candidates running in this weekend's election have killed three people in northwest Pakistan. The officials say 15 people also were wounded in the blasts Friday in Miran Shah, the main town in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Militants have killed at least 130 people in attacks on candidates and party workers since the beginning of April in an attempt to hamper the vote.