Kabul, Aug 20 (Xinhua) Afghans began voting in the country's second ever presidential election Thursday under the shadow of Taliban-led violence.

Though unprecedented security arrangements have been in place, reports said that four rockets hit Kandahar city in southern Afghanistan minutes before the voting centres opened.

According to the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan, about 17 million registered voters are eligible to elect a president and 420 provincial council members for the country's 34 provinces.

More than 270,000 election observers, including 2,000 foreign observers, are overseeing the balloting at more than 6,500 polling centres.

The commission said it was unable to open voting stations in nine districts that remain outside government control.