Afghanistan registers voters

Afghanistan launched a month-long voter registration period for September 18 parliamentary elections on Saturday as the United Nations called for broader security efforts to protect the vote from violence. The Afghan-UN Joint Electoral Management Body said it aims by July 21 to register about two million voters who were not old enough for October's presidential elections, have not previously registered, have lost their registration cards, or moved.
About 10.6 million Afghans registered for the October 9 presidential polls easily won by US-backed incumbent Hamid Karzai. That election passed off largely without incident, despite threats by Taleban guerrillas to derail the process.
However, voting for a 249-seat lower house of parliament, or Wolesi Jirga, and provincial councils, will be more complex and is threatened not only by the Taleban, ousted in late 2001 by a US-led force, but intimidation by regional strongmen vying for power.
Briefing the UN Security Council on Friday, UN Special Representative to Afghanistan Jean Arnault said worsening security has had a negative impact on poll preparations.
Security will be bolstered by a 20,000-strong US-led force pursuing the Taleban and allied militants and the 8,300-strong Nato-led peacekeepers, who have announced plans for 2,000 more troops.