Today (Thursday 20 August) voting takes place in the second election in Afghanistan in the eight years since the Taliban were defeated. All the Afghans we have spoken to have registered to vote and are hoping that there will be a clear winner who can bring peace and security to this country ravaged by 30 years of war and insurgency.
In the time after the Taliban were defeated there was great hope that the country would improve.
Now, eight years later, there has been some progress. After the long period of neglect and war, development has been slow and in many remote villages almost non-existent. The last three years have seen an increase in insurgency from armed opposition groups, along with criminal gangs who have taken advantage of the situation. In response to this there are thousands of troops from many nations who are trying to bring security to the countryside.
These elections are seen as possibly the last chance to move the country towards a peaceful and prosperous future where boys and girls can receive a proper education, one in five children do not die before the age of five, ordinary people can lead normal lives where they do not have to worry about food and shelter and families can be reunited.
The Taliban will attempt to intimidate the electorate but millions of Afghans will defy them and vote. They will proudly display their inky black finger, the sign that they have voted, as a message of defiance and hope.