KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The front-runner for the Afghan presidency narrowly escaped assassination Friday when two bombs struck his convoy as it traveled between campaign events in the capital, underscoring the country’s fragility as it prepares for its first democratic transfer of power and the withdrawal of foreign combat troops by the end of this year.

The candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, was unharmed and defiantly vowed to press ahead with his campaign, calmly telling an election rally that “the aim of this incident was to create fear and anxiety among the people and prevent them from deciding their own destiny.”