Afghan Election Panel Worried About Security In South
A U.S. Marine walks behind an Afghan farmer in the Garmsir district of Helmand Province.
July 17, 2009
KABUL -- Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission says it is concerned that security forces may not be able to ensure that all parts of the country are secure enough to hold elections, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reports.
Dawood Ali Najafi, the commission spokesman, said on July 16 that although preparations for the election are under way, there are still security concerns.
But Najafi also announced that the commission has launched a voter-registration campaign in two districts in the southern part of Helmand Province that were recently retaken from insurgents.
The Baghran and Khan-Neshin districts had been controlled by insurgents until the current U.S.-led operations in the province captured them.
The voter-registration program was set up within days of the area being cleared of insurgents.