Afghan security forces say they have killed two Taliban insurgents accused of cutting off the ink-stained fingers of a group of elders who voted in Saturday's presidential election.  

The elderly men are recovering after their hands were mutilated

The elderly men were seized after voting in western Herat province, and then mutilated.

All voters must dip a finger into ink to register their ballot.

Although the Taliban vowed to disrupt the run-off poll, they say they had nothing to do with the incident.

Insurgent commander Mullah Shir Agha and one of his officers were killed after a combined police and military operation on Sunday, police said.

Another insurgent believed to have been involved in the recent violence was injured and is in police custody, they said.

The UN's special representative in Afghanistan, Jan Kubis, had condemned the attack on the elderly men saying: "By their vote, they already defeated those who promote terror and violence."