Security prepared for Afghan election

[maddezmom]

Thom Shanker, New York Times

Saturday, August 20, 2005


Kandahar, Afghanistan -- U.S. and Afghan commanders have prepared security plans for the September national elections here that call for local forces to provide two inner rings of protection at polling stations while foreign troops stand by in case of serious attack.

Senior American officers also said coalition troops and Afghan security forces were conducting raids against suspected Taliban staging areas at an accelerated pace. The commanders said this faster tempo would continue past the Sept. 18 election and through weeks of vote counting until the new parliament was seated.

~snip~

The U.S.-led military coalition here, as well as NATO troops and other foreign soldiers of the International Security and Assistance Force, will stand by to provide a quick-reaction force, more mobile and with heavier firepower, if necessary, he said. Those forces will be positioned away from the polling stations.

`snip~

Coalition forces in Afghanistan now number more than 20,000. Of those, 18, 000 are American. NATO and the Security and Assistance Force combine for another 8,500. Military officers said the Afghan army now fielded about 25,000 soldiers, and the police force had roughly 50,000 officers.

more:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/20/MNGI1EAP3L1.DTL&feed=rss.news