The United Nations on Tuesday condemned the continued targeted killing of Afghan election workers in the aftermath of last Saturday's presidential run-off vote, and emphasized that they must be able to carry out their critical work without the threat of violence. "Yet again, the people of Afghanistan are subject to cowardly, murderous attacks, including on those that work as election officials. It must be made clear that the latter are civilians and should not be targeted," U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) chief Jan Kubis said. Two employees of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) were killed Monday during an attack on a convoy transporting ballot boxes in the southern province of Helmand, UNAMA said. On Saturday, eight IEC workers and two other civilians were killed by a roadside bomb in the northern province of Samangan. Kubis said election officials play a fundamental role in helping their fellow civilians exercise their right to determine the future of their country through democratic elections.