Kabul, Aug 22 (DPA) Afghan election observers said Saturday that Taliban militants chopped off fingers of two voters in southern Afghanistan for casting their ballots, while the elections commission said 11 of its staffers lost their lives on polling day.

Nader Nader, chairman of the Free and Fair Election Foundation, told a press conference that the militants made good on pre-election threats by attacking polling sites and in one instance punishing voters in southern Afghanistan.

'In some instances our observers witnessed the illegal and brutal punishments of the Taliban,' he said. 'In one incident for example, unfortunately our observer witnessed the cutting of two fingers of the two voters in Kandahar province.'

In order to avoid multiple voting, the voters were expected Thursday to dip their fingers into bottle of indelible ink, a measure that turned ominous for the voters as Taliban could easily identify them in volatile southern region.

The militants repeatedly threatened Afghans not to take part in Thursday's presidential and provincial elections, warning they would slit throats and chop off fingers of anyone who voted.