KABUL: The general sighs after hearing from his subordinate by phone that there are not enough security forces to protect voter registration centers in two areas outside Kabul.
The subordinate suggests that election workers take home documents and paperwork at night and bring them back during the day.
The general, who has thousands of men under his command in Kabul, disagrees. He says leaving the centers unguarded at night could allow people to plant bombs or mines and remotely detonate them when officials are registering voters for the Oct. 20 parliamentary and provincial council elections.
He advises his subordinate to either have local civilians guard the offices, or tell the election commission to offer a solution to the threat of attacks. “See if either of the two options can work. We’re too overstretched already,” the general said.
The elections have been delayed for more than three years due to lack of planning by the National Unity Government (NUG), which is mired in an internal power struggle and still disagrees on what mechanism is needed for the elections process.
The NUG’s inability to guard centers just outside Kabul has raised questions about its ability to protect districts in remote and volatile provinces.
The internal bickering has enabled the Taliban to escalate its attacks despite the US increasing the number of airstrikes and sending more troops to reverse gains by the Taliban and Daesh.
Rejecting a peace offer by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the Taliban last month announced its traditional spring offensive.
It has since conducted hundreds of anti-government raids, killing several hundred troops and seizing weapons and vehicles.
The new US strategy “created expectations among Afghans that the Taliban would be defeated or weakened,” Mohammed Nateqi, an analyst and former diplomat, told Arab News.
“But by launching the spring offensive, the Taliban showed that it has the upper hand. It can’t overthrow the system, but its attacks and tactics have had an impact as people are becoming increasingly disappointed with the NUG and foreign troops.”
Unless the tide turns against the Taliban, elections cannot be held, and if they take place, they will not be inclusive or enjoy legitimacy, he said.
But Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed Radmanesh said: “We are certain that the elections will be held on time as we have plenty of time ahead.”
He added: “We can defeat the enemy and foil their attacks. We need patience. People need to be calm and continue daily life as normal.”
