Suspected Taliban militants raided a village and killed nine tribesmen, and vengeance-seeking relatives killed four people in another hamlet, an official said Thursday, as violence simmered ahead of key parliamentary elections. Elsewhere, American forces killed a militant and wounded another Wednesday after coming under attack in Zabul province, which borders Pakistan, a U.S. military statement said. Militants linked to the Taliban, which was toppled by U.S.-led forces in 2001, have stepped up attacks in recent weeks in an apparent effort to disrupt Sept. 18 parliamentary elections. More than 700 people have died in a surge of attacks since March. Full Story