FOREIGN fighters from the al-Qaeda terror network were infiltrating Afghanistan to disrupt upcoming elections, the commander of US forces in the country said today. "We see some indications that the al-Qaeda is apparently encouraging attempts to disrupt the election process," Lieutenant-General David Barno told a news briefing in Kabul. Intelligence reports indicated al-Qaeda operatives had infiltrated the southeastern Afghan provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Khost, which border the tribal areas of Pakistan, he said. "Clearly for all terrorist organisations in the region, disrupting this free election that's pending here in Afghanistan, of which they're not a part, is - it appears to be - a shared objective."| I firmly believe you should have to present proof of citizenship before blowing up your polling place. |
| Would a Pakistani passport be sufficient? |
Pakistani security forces had stepped up a campaign to sweep out militants in Northern Waziristan, diverting forces away from the Indian border to combat insurgents along the Afghan border, Lt-Gen Barno said. "The co-ordinated efforts between the Pakistani army and coalition forces have put great pressure on terrorists inside and outside of Afghanistan." Lt-Gen Barno said the hunt for the senior leadership of al-Qaeda and the Taliban was an ongoing effort. He said Taliban insurgents were also likely to step up their attacks ahead of the presidential election. The Taliban have recently issued threats to carry out attacks on all 18 candidates in the October 9 vote. "Terrorist attacks will continue - and more than likely even increase as the election nears."
Lt-Gen Barno said militants were a "tiny, well-armed, well-funded minority" who would not disrupt the wishes of 10.5 million Afghans who had registered to vote in the election. In the south and southeast of the country, attacks against Afghan government troops continued, with nine government soldiers killed in a Taliban attack in southern Hilmand province. "At six o'clock in the morning, the Taliban attacked a checkpoint on the Herat Kandahar highway and nine Afghan soldiers were killed, one was wounded and six were abducted," said Dad Mohammed, provincial intelligence director in Hilmand. The attack followed one of the worst weeks for US soldiers in Afghanistan, after three soldiers were killed in a string of hit-and-run attacks in the provinces of Patika and Zabul. |