WASHINGTON: Afghanistan`s upcoming parliamentary elections will be "better" than the 2009 presidential ballot that was marred by widespread fraud, a senior US official said Thursday.

"We`ve seen progress" with Afghanistan`s Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), two institutions that have shown "strong leadership," said the senior official, who asked to remain anonymous.

"We believe the election will be better, not perfect," the official added, stressing that it is "a very difficult enterprise to conduct an election in a war zone."

Afghans head to the polls Saturday to elect parliamentary representatives a year after the presidential election that was marked by massive fraud in favor of re-electing President Hamid Karzai.

The fierce Taliban insurgency has threatened to attack polling centers during Saturday`s election, only the second parliamentary polls in Afghanistan since the Islamic militia was removed from power in 2001.

Taliban-linked rebels Thursday killed three NATO soldiers, two election workers and five security guards in separate attacks.

Around 10.5 million Afghans are eligible to elect 249 members of the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.

BDST: 0850 HRS, September 17, 2010