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29/09/2004
Security stepped up ahead of Afghan elections
With only 11 days remaining before Afghans go to the polls to elect a president for the first time in their history, authorities are stepping up security as there may be increased violence around the country to disrupt the electoral process.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York that security forces have conducted "special training exercises" in recent days to test how they would respond to an attack. A dozen electoral workers have already been killed in attacks by groups opposed to the process.
Speaking after his briefing to the Security Council yesterday, Mr Guéhenno said a combination of Afghan police, Afghan national army troops, members of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and troops participating in the US-led operation in the country were being stationed at key sites to protect polling sites and counting centres.
"We're very much aware that this is a tough environment. We know that it's not going to be an incident-free election," he said.
"The commitment of so many Afghans to [the electoral] process I think is the best reassurance that we can have."
Tribal and community leaders were being used across the country, especially in the eastern, southeastern and southern provinces, to help determine local security arrangements for the elections.
More than 10 million Afghans, including at least four million women, have registered to vote in elections on 9 October to choose a president. National and local parliamentary polls are scheduled for next year.
(gmcg/mb)
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York that security forces have conducted "special training exercises" in recent days to test how they would respond to an attack. A dozen electoral workers have already been killed in attacks by groups opposed to the process.
Speaking after his briefing to the Security Council yesterday, Mr Guéhenno said a combination of Afghan police, Afghan national army troops, members of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and troops participating in the US-led operation in the country were being stationed at key sites to protect polling sites and counting centres.
"We're very much aware that this is a tough environment. We know that it's not going to be an incident-free election," he said.
"The commitment of so many Afghans to [the electoral] process I think is the best reassurance that we can have."
Tribal and community leaders were being used across the country, especially in the eastern, southeastern and southern provinces, to help determine local security arrangements for the elections.
More than 10 million Afghans, including at least four million women, have registered to vote in elections on 9 October to choose a president. National and local parliamentary polls are scheduled for next year.
(gmcg/mb)
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