Taliban insurgents appear to be making good on threats to kill candidates in Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections, adding a grim dimension to the ambitions of political hopefuls in the war-torn country.

In recent weeks, three candidates and at least seven campaign workers have been killed, and many others kidnapped and injured, in attacks blamed on the Taliban, according to officials.

More than 2,500 candidates will contest 249 seats in the lower house of the Afghan parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, in the country’s second parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18.