Afghan elections: Taliban issue new threats of widespread attacks

Claim to have the ‘elections security plan’, but people look forward to Saturday’s vote.

KABUL:

After a spate of deadly attacks in Kabul in the run-up to the Afghan elections, the Afghan Taliban now say they “have obtained a government security plan” for the crucial vote.

The document includes what appears to be a detailed list of names of many officials and areas where troops have been deployed for election duty, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on Thursday. The document will enable the militants to target the officials.

Soon after the threat, Kabul saw freshly deployed gun-toting security forces all over the capital, patrolling the city and stationed outside important buildings.

He also said some people avoid coming out of homes due to security concerns. He, however, said that the people would go to the polling centres as there had been a great enthusiasm in Kabul city during the election campaign ended on Wednesday.



Hours earlier, Mujahid issued fresh threats to sabotage the April 5 vote that will mark the first-ever democratic transition in Afghanistan. He said the Taliban would now intensify attacks on all those who are part of the “fake” elections.

“The Islamic Emirate shall never allow the enemy to be successful in achieving its goals through this fake theatrical charade. In this regard we have given orders to all Mujahideen to use all force at its disposal to disrupt these upcoming sham elections; target all its workers, activists, callers, security apparatus and offices and the nation must also stop the process of elections from taking place,” the Taliban said in a statement.

When asked by The Express Tribune via email as to how the Taliban will forcibly stop people from exercising their right to vote, the Taliban spokesperson said, “As you are aware our homeland is under American invasion. The so-called elections under the invasion will protect the interests of the invaders and they would impose their choice on the Afghans. The process has no other meaning.”

Do they have a soft corner for any of the eight presidential candidates, including two known Jehadi leaders? Most of the candidates are those who have arrived in the country with the American invasion, Mujahid responded. “We expect nothing good from any of the candidates. They are all working for others.”

However, Afghans have so far defied the Taliban threats and participated in election rallies in major cities, including capital Kabul.

A local taxi driver told The Express Tribune that even though the Kabul seemed deserted on Thursday, people are looking forward to the landmark election day on Saturday.

Nevertheless, besides creating panic among the people, the Taliban attacks have also forced some international observers to leave Afghanistan.  Their concerns grew at the killing of one foreign polls observer in the Serena Hotel and the killing of a foreign journalist, Nils Horner.

Independent analysts say that last week’s withdrawal of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) could undermine the credibility of the vote.

However, the Afghan Independent Election Commission officials have played down impact of the withdrawal of the two groups, insisting that dozens more foreign observers will stay on to monitor the crucial polls.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2014.