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Afghan officials: Thousands of troops ready for polling day

Afghan officials: Thousands of troops ready for polling day | iNFOnews.ca
Afghan Presidential Spokesman Sediq Seddqi gives a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. Seddqi said that the priority for his government is to hold national elections later this month - rather than reach a peace deal with insurgents. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

KABUL – Afghan officials say around 100,000 members of the country’s security forces are ready for polling day. The presidential election is scheduled for Sept 28.

Nasrat Rahimi, spokesman for the Interior Ministry said on Sunday that 72,000 security personnel will be on duty around the 4,942 polling centres across Afghanistan while nearly 30,000 additional troops will serve as reserve units.

Defence Ministry spokesman Rohullah Ahmadzai said security forces have recently taken back eight districts from the Taliban and that operations are underway to secure around 20 others.

Last week, President Donald Trump abruptly called off negotiations with the Taliban, who control or hold sway over nearly half of Afghanistan.

The elections were widely expected to be delayed under any U.S.-Taliban deal. The Afghan government had been shut out of those negotiations.

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Abbey Westbury

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